I Was Sent to Kill You
by Veran Shade
Summary: I woke up in the household of homunculi, finding that I was one of them myself. Taking me to their advantage, they sent me on a mission to gain the trust of the Fullmetal Alchemist. I was ill-prepared for his charm... and unexpected events followed. EdxOc
1. Malice

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 1

I groaned, feeling numb all over my body. My eyes refused to open, so I was left to the darkness behind my eyelids. However, my sense of hearing and touch seemed to sharpen, and I was surprised of what I was feeling. My eyes finally shot open and I sat up quickly, in what I discovered a bed.

My eyes travelled across the room, but it felt no different then it was when I had them closed; everything was drowned in complete darkness. Her hands ran across the soft fabric of the sheets in wonder, and I strained my ears to listen closely to my surroundings, paranoia screaming an alarm in my chest as my heart raced. I couldn't hear anything, which frightened me; weren't there any animals creeping in the walls or outside?

I breathed heavily. "Why do I feel so weak...?" After I talked to myself, I covered my mouth and gasped. _Why do I sound so different? What happened to me? _

"Lie down. You don't have the strength to be sitting, let alone be awake."

I flinched at the voice, that seemed to travel all around me. I sensed some movement, the person walking around in the room. I swallowed and tried harder to see, but the effort was pointless, because the room was then filled with a pearly light.

A window had been uncovered at that moment - with hands of an unrecognizable figure -, letting me see the sky outside; the full moon shone radiantly against the vast blackness along with galaxies of stars. The moon lent its light and offered me sight as my eyes travelled the room. It was rather plain, with only a bed, wardrobe and a bedside table. On the table was a lamp and a mysterious jar which contents were unsure. I was so absorbed of watching my surroundings that I had forgotten the voice. It spoke again to remind me.

"My, my. What a pretty little homunculus you turned out to be."

I traced the location of where the voice was, and I looked over at the window, where someone slipped out of the shadows and seated herself on the windowsill. I saw it to be a beautiful woman in a long, black dress, her skin deathly pale. Her hair flowed in black ripples, a turf hovering over half of her face. A red tatoo of a spiralling serpent nestled in the middle of her chest, a large contrast against her flesh. I looked up to her face, and she was smiling at me, a smug expression on her face.

"Who are you?" I said, my voice raspy from the drowsiness. My vision grew fuzzy as I grew weaker, and I coughed, feeling something hard trying to come up my throat. What was happening to me...? "And what did you call me?"

"A homunculus. An artificial being with no soul. How does it feel, to wake up and discover that?" She had a sort of purring voice; so soft and drained of energy, but daring at the same time. Her cold eyes half-closed, looking for my reaction in pleasure.

My eyes narrowed in anger. "No! I'm real! I have a soul!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, kid, but it's true."

"No! You're lying!" Tears cascaded down my cheeks, against my will, and I coughed again, feeling the same hard objects trying to come up. I coughed harder, hunching my shoulders as I cried. _This woman is lying. How could I be what she says?_

"Then what's your name?"

My eyes widened at that, and my mind raged like a storm at sea. My brain racked with pain as i searched for it, as if my own nails were scratching the insides of my skull, hoping that my prize was hidden underneath the surface. _My name!_ I screamed. _What is my name? _I didn't realize that I actually screamed that last thought in my sobbing. The woman answered my question.

"Sorry, but I thought that was the only proof to convince you. No homunculi remember their former names. Or lives, for that matter. I'm one of them."

I looked up at her with tear-filled eyes. "You-You're a homunculus too?"

"Sadly, yes."

I looked down at my knees, wrapping my arms around them and resting my chin in between them. Hardly registering what the woman said, I tried harder to remember my name... and even harder to remember who I was. But my mind closed everything from me, showing me only blank images and meaningless thoughts, almost _pulling_ me away from the truth.

"We are, however, assigned names from our master," the woman continued, observing her fingernails.

"Master?" I questioned. The tears stopped, but my skin cried in irritation and emotion sent me tremors.

"Well, we have more than one," she shrugged. "Dante's one of them. But I don't really like taking orders from her... and that's our little secret," she brought a finger to her lips and winked, and I suddenly realized how much longer her fingers were than they were a few seconds before. She didn't continue to say who the second one was, and I didn't feel like I was compelled to ask... I guessed I would find out in time.

"You said...we...are assigned names," I said slowly. "Have you...gotten yours?"

"Yeah, a long time ago." What is it?"

The woman made a dramatic pose and chuckled. "The name's Lust, love."

I nodded slowly, but thought differently. _Lust? That's not a name... that's a sin._

"What's that tattoo for?" I asked suddenly.

"It's an Ouroboros. Every homunculus has it. Which reminds me, that's another piece of evidence to convince you. I think you're still a bit in denial."

She was right; I didn't feel completely sure she was telling the truth just yet. Who knows, I may have had some sort of accident, triggering amnesia. So what she said - about the Ouroboros -... was it true that every homunculus had one? _Do __I__ really have one?_ I looked down at my chest, in search of such a symbol. I heard Lust chuckle.

"No, dear, you don't have one there. I'm the only one that does."

"Then where's mine?"

"Keep looking. You'll find it eventually."

My eyes travelled down my shoulder on my left side slowly, along my arm and to my hand. Seeing that nothing was on that side, I did the same to my right. When I turned my hand to inspect the back of it, I gasped as I saw the Ouroboros nearest to my knuckle. Lust smiled with approval.

I looked down in defeat. "So I _am_ a homunculus..." I felt fresh tears return again, but instead of crying, I started coughing violently, hard substances shooting up my throat and out of my mouth. I looked at what landed on my lap and watched solids glint red in the moon's pale light.

"Go to sleep now," Lust advised. "Before you lose all of your Red Stones and die."

As if on cue, my consciousness started blinking in and out, and I collapsed on my pillow, prevented from coughing up anymore of this 'Red Stone'. The last thing I remembered seeing was Lust reaching into that jar on the bedside table and producing the same objects that I was coughing up and that was it.

* * *

When I woke up, I didn't find Lust in there with me anymore. She must've left hours ago, because now the sun was peaking in through the window, lighting the room up. As I pushed myself up on the bed into a sitting position, I found myself to be much stronger than I was before. I thought back to what happened before I lost consciousness... what was this Stone that I had to keep inside me? Is it the only thing that's keeping me alive?

When I got out of the bed, I found myself in a black night gown. Getting up to explore the room, I walked over to the wardrobe and opened its doors. I blinked at how little there was of clothing, but took out a random combination of a grey top and long, black pants. I glimpsed a small mirror when I reached inside, and I saw long black hair and dark-grey eyes. Some stranger was looking back out at me. After inspecting every angle of this... face... I went back to the clothing. Once that was done, I walked over to the door and tried the doorknob; it was unlocked.

My bare feet tingled at the cold touch of the floor outside the door, and I looked around to see that I was in a hallway, with a dead end at one end and a continuing corridor at the other. Cautiously moving across the floor, I went down the continuing side, noticing how dimmer it got as I walked. The quality of the house was not too shabby; there were a lot of oil-painted portraits, and there was always a table with vases of flowers every few meters against the wall.

Once I came to the end of the hallway, I entered a living room, but it was empty. I looked around and nodded with approval. It too was in fine quality, with furniture, plush cushions and polished, mahogany tables. I sat down and leaned back comfortably, looking at everything with keen interest.

Only a few minutes past when a hulking figure entered the room. I noticed the movement and looked at it, to see that it was a hunched, round man sucking on his finger, looking at me. His eyes were peculiar circles and his head was bald.

"Who are you?" I asked him, but he continued to stare at me. He wobbled a bit closer, making me sit up straighter in awareness. That look he was giving me was rather freaky...

The finger he was sucking left his mouth, and returned to the ground, making him appear like a gorilla. Some drool slid down the side of his slightly gaping mouth.

"You look mighty tasty, girlie."

I stared at him wide-eyed, my fingers digging into the cushions. The man smiled and let his tongue hang over his bottom lip, and there I saw the Ouroboros sign.

"Wait!" I said, holding a hand in front of me, as if it were a means of protection. "I'm a homunculus, too!"

It was hard to admit that I was one, but I was willing to say it if it was something to prove, and save my own life. I held up my right hand and faced my knuckle to him. "See?"

He froze, then sat down again, examining the sign on my knuckle. "How does Gluttony know you're not some kind of nasty alchemist?"

"Gluttony? Alchemist?" I dropped my hand, then shook my head anxiously. "No, I not, really! I'm a homunculus!"

"Alchemists are tricky rats," he said, eyeing me hungrily. "Gluttony bets they could use that icky alchemy to create an Ouroboros fake."

"I'm not an alchemist!" I cried in frustration.

"Do you know that meanie Elric boy, FullMetal Alchemist?"

"_**No! I don't!**_" I had never heard the name in my entire life. Well, of what I could remember, anyway...

"Prove it to Gluttony."

I looked at him, and figured by now that he was referring to himself; he was a homunculus, and since meeting Lust, I guessed that they were all assigned the seven sins, and therefore there were seven homuculi. Unless there were some short... I looked at him again.

"How am I supposed to prove it?"

"What's Gluttony's mistresses' name?"

Feeling awkward with his third-person point of view, I thought about what to say. I only met one homunculus besides Gluttony, and that was Lust. Lust had mentioned the leaders Pride and Dante, but Pride was male, and I wasn't sure if Dante would fit in with this picture...

Hesitantly, I said softly, "Is it Lust?"

He stuffed the finger back into his mouth, making him appear as an oversized toddler.

"Lucky guess," he said. It truly was. "What do we eat to stay alive?"

"Red stones," I said absent-mindedly, remembering the night before. He said nothing, then got up and wobbled away.

"Hey!" I got up and watched him go. "You're just gonna leave me here? I proved who I was!"

Without stopping, he said, "Follow."

Fearing that I would lose him, I walked forward and got behind him, letting him lead me. I felt the floor slanting a bit and going more underground, and the light seemed to get dimmer and dimmer. The only light present after a few minutes were from the torches perched on the walls.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, straining my eyes to adjust.

"Others."

I thought about what the others would be. There would be Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride and Greed left to meet, if they were all taken. There was also Dante, the so-called leader. Was she a homunculus, too?

Finally a door came into view, and Gluttony didn't even stop before it and wrapped his huge hand around the doorknob. The door opened with ease, and the room within was even darker than the hall.

A figure rose to greet them. She was young, had straight, ebony hair and pale skin. She smiled softly at me.

"Ah, the young homunculus," she said calmly. "Welcome. I'm Dante, and it will be a pleasure to answer any of your questions."

Dante looked at me calmly, and I looked back curiously. Neither of us spoke. Gluttony wobbled further up I saw that he was approaching Lust, who was leaning on the wall, playing with her fingers. I watched in awe as they lengthened and shortened to her will.

"Did Gluttony do well?" Gluttony said, stopping and standing by Lust like an obedient dog. "For not eating girl?"

"Yes, you did well, darling," Lust said smoothly. She patted his head and he immediately sat down and put his finger to his mouth.

"My, it's very good to see you well already," Dante said, causing my eyes to drift back to her. She smiled. "We didn't recover as fast as you did."

"Recover from what?" I asked suspiciously. "Was there some kind of accident?"

The more I thought about it, the more I thought it was possible; perhaps I got into an accident and didn't remember who I was? Amnesia? Maybe my family was looking for me right at this second...

Dante closed her eyes. "I suppose you could say that. But not in the manner in which you speak."

I tilted my head and listened.

Dante opened her eyes and motioned behind her. "You'll need to take a seat. And I'll introduce you to your fellow homunculi."

As she lead me, I looked around the stone walls. Four different parts of the wall were occupied with a figure, Lust and Gluttony at one. There was a green-haired boy that looked at me enviously, and jealously, as if he wanted my body... I shuddered at the idea. Furthermore stood a woman in a black dress with a motherly-look to her, and a kid with messy black hair stood beside her, looking at me wonderingly. Then, the last person I saw was a man with his back straight like a general, his uniform I identified as of the military. The Ouroboros was on his left eye; actually _on_ the eye, acting as its pupil.

Dante pulled out a chair for me, and I took the back of it and sat down. I felt eerie being watched from all directions.

"I believe you've already met Lust and Gluttony?" Dante said, gesturing to their direction. I nodded. "Then I must introduce the remaining four."

"Isn't there another one?" I asked, still going with my theory. "There should be five..."

"Well, isn't she a smart one," said the green-haired boy sarcastically. "And a nosy one at that."

"Now, Envy, that isn't very polite to say when in the presence of the person you speak ill of," the general said. "Wouldn't you agree, Sloth?"

"Oh, I'd agree indeed, Pride," the motherly homunculus said softly, looking at me with gentle eyes. "What about you, Wrath?"

The kid nodded, continuing to look at me. It was weird, seeing a relatively timid child, named Wrath.

"Well, I guess you know everyone, now that I was rudely interrupted by Envy," Dante mused.

"Where is Greed?" I questioned. I wanted everything they had to offer. Dante looked at me, then to all those homunculi around her.

"He's been sealed away, because of... well, being Greed," Lust answered. "He wanted money, women, power... he wanted all those things more than helping us toward our goal. So we shut him up."

"Oh, I see," I nodded, with nothing else to do. I turned back to Dante. "So what about this 'accident'?"

Dante stood and folded her hands. "Well, let's just say that you weren't actually meant to be created by the person who did."

My mouth curved down in a frown at her blunt summary. Funny thing was, I didn't feel like crying. I didn't feel like I _could_ cry. I felt more different than I did last night.

"Truth is a bitch, I always say," Envy smirked.

"So... what, my parents didn't want a baby or something? It's their fault for having sex-"

"Not in that sense," Dante smiled. "I mean, that you're a failed-attempt at human transmutation."

"Human transmutation? What's that?"

"Human transmutation is alchemy that involves skill, strong-will, and a great deal of equivalent exchange. It is an attempt of resurrecting the dead."

"Oh, so I was dead?" I said. Dante blinked at me, and I was surprised at myself, too. I was taking all of this seriously now, and taking in the things that didn't seem real. I _definitely _changed from how I was from the night before. Those thoughts of surprise then disappeared and were replaced by thoughts of depression. It just came out of no where...

"Yes," Dante continued, recovered. "Someone really wanted you back, so they used alchemy to bring you back.

"Although, we **all** know what the result always is," she smirked as she looked around at the other homunculi. "No matter how good the alchemist is, his or her fate is the same as the ones before them. Instead, they created a body and mind, without a soul."

"Homunculi," Sloth said softly.

"I see." No tears came again. Knowing that one has no soul should rip their sanity apart. But not me. I sat there, watching the room intently. However, the depression I felt deep within myself grew darker...

"Do you know who made me?"

She said nothing for a few moments, simply smiling. "We found you dragging yourself through the forest and you lost consciousness. You were under someone's care for a long time, but I suppose they lost their hope in your health, and left you to die."

"Really?"

"Yes. We've been giving you red stones to help you recover."

"These Red Stones," I said slowly. "What _are_ they exactly?"

"They're like the minor stage of the Philosopher's Stone."

"Philosopher's Stone?"

"Talk about brain-dead," Envy laughed nastily. "I'm hearing too many questions for my liking."

Dante glared at him, and spoke again.

"The Philosopher's Stone is probably the most powerful and legendary weapon in this world. It can turn lead to gold, and give the user immortality. It is the greatest form of alchemy there is, and, of course, such a treasure has to come with a price; millions of human lives sacrificed."

I nodded and stayed silent.

"Red stones are somewhat similar, except it doesn't last long and it doesn't have the treasured properties as the Philosopher's Stone. Made from a toxic substance called Red Water, they can give us energy and power. Hence their value to us homunculi."

"Enough of the Science lesson!" Envy grinned. "I'd say we should name the brat!"

The depression grew even darker... _Brat_...

"Manners, Envy," Sloth said. "Where is her Ouroboros?"

"Right here," I answered, lifting up my right arm like a marionette doll controlled by strings. My tongue was determining the sharpness of my canines under the shelter of my lips. I clenched my right fist and faced my knuckle to Dante. She nodded with approval.

"Yes, I think it's about time to start this."

"Wait a minute," the small boy Wrath spoke up from beside Sloth. "How are we supposed to name her when there are only Seven Deadly Sins? We can't call her Greed, when the old one's still around..."

"Well, we'll just have to think up another," Pride smiled. "How about... Spite?"

"It doesn't really fit," Wrath wrinkled his nose. "What do you think, mom?"

"I'm not really sure," said Sloth thoughtfully, and I now knew why the kid kept close to her so much. She was really peaceful and caring, for a homunculus. "There's Hatred to consider..."

"We _all_ have hatred," Lust reminded them. "Homunculi always do. Scorn?"

Envy smirked. "I'd say we call her Bitch! It's evil."

Depression turned to fury..._ Bitch_...

I stood up slowly and turned to face Envy, feeling my eyesight narrow into a tight tunnel, walls on either side of me. My eyes felt weird, and I realized that my pupils turned to slits. I bared my teeth, digging my nails into my palms and drawing blood. My behaviour was beyond my control.

"Rage!" Gluttony cackled, clapping his hands like a child. "Rage!"

"Oh, did I insult you?" Envy asked in mock-concern, pushing himself away from the wall and the counsel. "Short tempers are very stupid, and I'm surprised that you got angry with probably my easiest cheap shot!"

My breathing turned rapid and raspy like a person out of their mind, my eyes wide and pupils shrunken. I hunched my back and lifted my arms, my hands growing rigid. My Ouroboros glowed slightly, and as if something clicked inside, I lost all common sense. I ran with quick agility, reaching Envy in only a millisecond.

"Her first stage has begun," Dante confirmed. "Loss of Control."

"Hey, what're y-!" Envy managed to say before I closed my fingers together and cutter-struck him in the neck, the tops of my fingers digging into his throat. He stumbled back, stunned and gasping, and I leapt forward and kicked him in the stomach with my heel. He tripped backwards, holding his stomach. I walked up to him and felt a malicious smile dance on my lips. I reached down and coiled my fingers around his arm, pulled him up, and pushed him against the wall. I didn't notice, but he was smirking.

"Heh, I'll have to give you credit," his voice was muffled against the wall. "You know how to fight."

"I'm not done yet," I giggled, wiping Envy's smirk off his face. My voice was high and filled with sadistic amusement and hysteria, and the pupils of my eyes refused to return back to normal. I cackled psychotically, "I'm not done yet! _I'm not done yet!_"

I grabbed his arm and pulled it back, then I put my other hand on his upper arm. Slowly I began applying pressure by pushing his arm as I brought his wrist to me, and his cries of discomfort encouraged me to continue. Finally bored with it, I pushed my hand on his arm and pulled my hand on his wrist, snapping his arm. He screamed in agony and struggled to get away. I grabbed his head and smashed it into the wall, making him cough on his own blood. I then pulled him back and threw him at the opposite wall with force and power that I didn't believe I possessed; nor did I hate it. He crumpled to the ground and tried to get up, but I reached him before he could succeed. I started kicking him mercilessly, making him curl up to protect himself.

"Malice," I giggled again, watching Envy's blood make a pool next to his mouth. "Malice, that's my _name_! Watching pain... hurting things... destroying... killing... torturing... that is my _life!_ My name is _Malice!_"

"Malice..." the other homunculi whispered, the soft _c_ creating a snake-like hiss throughout the room. They all smiled and nodded in agreement.

Dante came up and placed her hand on my shoulder. I glanced at her with animal-like eyes and was tempted to swipe at her. She nodded at me.

"That's enough. You've proven your place among us... Malice."

* * *

"My, what should we really do with Malice...?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she destroyed Envy for one thing. He'll be fine with a boost in Red Stone dosage, since we all came back from the struggle and our Stones need more sustenance... So Malice is more... important than the small stuff."

"True, true."

"We'll think of something."

I sat on a chair outside the meeting door, rubbing my Ouroboros mark. Dante had ordered me outside so the others could 'discuss', and Envy's now-unconscious body was taken upstairs. I looked down at my blood-red tattoo. One slide of my thumb over it, and I felt a sudden urge to hurt. On the second stroke, I was back to normal. _Touching it must effect me somehow,_ I thought, looking at it in the dim light. _But the first time was just an explosion of emotion. So now, whenever someone touches it, they are no longer safe in my reach._

The voices of the other homunculi continued.

"She won't be sent to do errands, that's for sure."

"Why not?"

"Too trivial. I've got a feeling that's she's capable of a bigger mission."

I wondered if they realized that their voices were too loud to be unheard.

"How old do you think she is, anyway?"

"Young... 15, 16?"

"Yeah, that is pretty young!"

"Indeed."

I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes, softly sighing. _If all they're doing is talking about my age, then why the hell did Dante send me out here?_

"Maybe..."

I tilted my head to hear Wrath's voice better.

"Maybe... she could kill somebody. Somebody we _hate_."

Silence went on for a little while. I put my head upright again and looked up at the ceiling. _Do I have such experience?_ I put my Ouroboros knuckle up at eye-level, then dropped it again. _...well, I might._

"...that _is_ tempting," Lust said thoughtfully.

"The question's who, though," Pride said. "It can't be lieutenant Mustang; if he dies, the military will be shaken up. After Hughes went, they were pretty shaken up, too. if Mustang goes, then I'll find myself with many resigning soldiers."

"Scar's somewhere out there still, but he's essential to our plan," Sloth put in.

Gluttony giggled.

"What about Fullmetal boy?"

That title again. The same person Gluttony suspected me in terms with. With hooded eyes I watched a spider work its web. _Why is this guy so important? This... alchemist...?_

"We can't strictly _kill_ him," Dante said slowly and clearly. "He's as much value as Scar is, leading us ever closer to the Philosopher's Stone. He and his _armour-cladded_ brother. They're still up for our use."

"Yes, but what if they come to stop us?" Sloth said softly. "They'll be on our trail soon, and they can have the opportunity to stop us before _or_ after we obtain the Stone. What then?"

"Well, we'll just have to think about that, too."

Suddenly, I heard Wrath say, making me blink.

"Malice's pretty, though."

"What does that have to do with anything, Wrath?" Pride said, not unkindly.

Silence then took their voices briefly. Then I heard Pride laugh.

"What a smart child!"

"What? I just said that—"

"Wrath, you clever boy!" Dante said in lowered delight, laughing softly.

"Wait, what exactly did I?"

"How very thoughtful, Wrath," Sloth praised, and after that, Wrath was quiet, probably smiling from his 'mother''s words.

Footsteps came louder and the door opened, making my head turn. Dante smiled.

"You can come back in now. We've finally thought of your assignment."

I stood up and followed back into the even darker room, where every homunculi had a face of triumph. I sat in the same chair I did before and put my hands in my lap, keeping my Ouroboros away from anything that could brush against it.

"Now, let's get to it," Dante said, a little enthusiastic. She walked around my chair, put her hands on the back of it, and leaned forward, half-over me, half-beside me. "You know what an alchemist is, of course?"

"Not very clear on that term, only the fact that they fail human transmutations and create Philosopher Stones," I said bluntly.

Dante laughed. "True, but you must know what they actually do. Alchemy is the way of breaking matter down and recreating them. Alchemist can form what already exists into something else, to bend it to their use and will."

"Alright."

"Now, the point of this explanation is to explain another. There is this one alchemist out there, and he is known as the FullMetal Alchemist. The amusing part is that he's the same age as you."

I stared ahead at the wall. "Go on."

"He's an alchemist who can do alchemy without transmutation circles - which normal alchemists must have. He's... _special_. He can be very dangerous when someone opposes him. He can be very... _malicious,_ when he's angered."

"Oh, really?" The word _malicious_ was what got me.

"Yes. However, as all humans, he should have a weak _heart_."

I stayed silent and waited for her to continue.

"What we want you to do... is to search out this boy and earn his trust. We want you to distract him, befriend him, whatever you want and choose. When we gain the Philosopher's Stone, you will then _kill him_. But before you do, you could do as much torture as your... _homunculus heart_ desires."

"Hm," I sighed, looking up at the ceiling. I smiled. "Sounds interesting."

"I knew you'd think that," Dante clasped her hands together, and some homunculi laughed softly in triumph.

"One thing, though," I said, and Dante looked at me. "I'd need to know the name of my target. The real name."

Dante smiled again. "His name, is Edward Elric."

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _Hello! I'm happy to introduce you to my FMA story, _I Was Sent to Kill You_. Originally, this chapter was actually four chapters, but my new page-count is around 14 pages, and I thought that the first few were too short. Actually, ThankfulMemories suggested it to me, and it makes sense.

As you can probably tell, this is an Oc-Canon pairing. I know, there is a much more fitting pairing that doesn't need an OC, but I thought it would be interesting to write about. It's fun to watch a character of your own grow. :) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this, and that you'll stay with us to the end ^^

~Vixen


	2. Introduction

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 2

I lain on my bed, staring at the ceiling. It was about 5 am. At the crack of dawn I was supposed to get ready to leave the mansion. This was Dante's house, apparently, in a deep forest in the mountains. It was decided that I had to leave for Central, where ever _that_ was, to confront this Edward Elric. I put my arms behind my head and sighed. The Ouroboros tingled slightly.

There was a knock at my door, and I called out, bored.

"Come in."

The door opened and I saw that it was Dante, carrying a patch of black leather in her hands. She walked in, the fiery light from the hallway emitting into my room. She took something from the batch of leather, and I realized that they were leather gloves.

"These are for you," she informed as I sat up. "To cover your Ouroboros. Edward is already aware of how homunculi are identified."

"Hm. Pity mine wasn't on my ass; he'd never look there," I mused, and Dante chuckled.

"Trigger your Ouroboros."

"If I did, then hell-knows-what would happen."

"Just for a second. Give me your hand first; I have to do it fast."

I looked at her as she put one glove on the bedside table , and held one at the ready. She held out her hand to me, and it took me a while before I responded to it. I put my hand in hers and the finger of my other hand hovered over my mark. Dante adjusted the glove over my fingers and was close enough to cover the rest of my hand. She nodded, and I scratched my Ouroboros.

At once I felt the irresistible urge to hurt, and looked at Dante with desire for torture. My eyes were wide and mouth open, canines flashing. I twitched for the moment to pounce. When I was about to, however, Dante slipped the glove over my skin, the Ouroboros mark triggered again. I blinked at my sudden return to normality. I wriggled my free fingers and observed the black leather that clothed my palm.

"With that done, you must never take them off in the presence of others, unless a time comes," Dante said as she handed me the other glove to put on myself. "You know what to do now, since I won't be around to help you next time; trigger the Ouroboros before putting the glove back on again. If you didn't, then the moment you put on the glove, you won't be able to change back. You need to do it very quickly, or you'll risk blowing your cover."

"Alright," I said. "But can't I just turn back once I hit something with that knuckle?"

Dante thought for a moment. "I suppose you can, if you do it hard enough. Ouroboros is not as delicate to effect, so just a brush won't do. But chances are you'd reveal your nature to society by the time you land a punch really hard with that hand."

I nodded, and looked out the window. The sky was fading into soft pinks and purples. The blinding orb that was the sun was peeking over the eastern horizon.

"Daybreak."

The one word leaving my mouth was self-explanatory of its meaning. Dante nodded.

"Yes. It's time to depart," she mused, and left the room, myself closing the door behind her and getting dressed.

I left my room and went down the hallway, reaching the room I sat on the couch, where I met Gluttony. Sloth and Wrath stood together, and Gluttony sat like a obediant dog by Lust. Lust was clothed in a fur coat, ready for departure. Dante stood as well, dressed in a cloak, standing by the door.

"Where are Pride and Envy?" I asked, looking around.

Dante answered, "Pride's got some stuff to do at the military, and well, Envy's not too keen in being at your Farewell Party." She chuckled.

"I didn't want him here, anyway," I sniffed. "Would've been kinda awkward. And I don't really feel like standing for the insults."

"Smart, real smart."

Sloth handed me a coat, then turned to Dante. "Is there any information that you've forgotten to explain to her?"

"Not that I can recall," Dante replied. "Surely she will find out everything on her own. Right, Malice?"

I nodded, finishing zipping my coat. "But what's my cover-name?"

Dante thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Urami?"

"Meaning... Malice," I said, brow rising. Not very impressive. "Dead give-away, much?"

"But Malice isn't technically a deadly sin," Sloth put in. "Edward will also assume that now that all Seven Deadly Sins are accounted for, no more homunculi will exist."

"Of course, that's an idiotic idea."

"STUPID!" Gluttony giggled.

"Let us be off, then," Dante said, then blinked. "Oh, Malice... I mean, Urami, whenever you see me in public, which you most likely will, my name is Lyra. Understand? And Pride is the Führer."

I nodded, and looked at the other homunculi that were staying behind. "It was nice to meet all of you."

Wrath smiled at me, as well as Sloth. Gluttony was suddenly transfixed with a rat that entered through a crack in the wall. Without a pause he crawled along the floor like a clumsy insect and devoured the creature before it could flee back into its sanctuary. My nose wrinkled at the noise of its bones snapping and its squeaks vibrating.

I turned toward the door, waved behind my back and left to follow Lust and Dante.

* * *

_At Central_

There was no need for a coat, anymore. By the time Dante, Lust and I arrived in Central, the sun was shining in a humid afternoon. I slipped off my coat and carried it under my arm, enjoying the feel of open, fresh air. Lust had put on her hood, concealing her face. Dante lead the way through the busy streets. Some people greeted her by the name of Lyra, but they ignored me and Lust. I didn't mind, though.

After a while, she lead us to an alley. She turned to me.

"I'll take the coat, if you don't need it."

I gave her the coat as she continued. "Recently, the Elric Brothers have returned from their check-up in Youswell, the Mine City. They should be in Headquarters right now."

"How do I get to them?" I asked.

"Oh, you'll get their attention."

Before Dante turned around, I saw a smirk dance along her mouth.

"Now I'll go on ahead, spread the news anonymously," she said, taking Lust's coat as well. She looked at Lust in the eyes.

"You know what to do."

Lust nodded, not speaking. I tilted my head. Lust hadn't spoken to me in a while, little since the meeting in the mansion. Nor had she spoken much to the other homunculi since then. She leaned against the wall as Dante left.

After a few minutes, I grew impatient. I turned to Lust. "What was it that you're supposed to do?"

She didn't answer me. Her silence made me think again about asking a second time, so I waited some more.

When more minutes went by, I couldn't take it anymore. "Lust?"

Lust flicked her fingers.

I watched as they grew abnormally while the rest of her body was relaxed. Her eyes were closed as she did this. Her fingers looked sinister.

"L-Lust?"

She tilted her head and looked at me.

"Run."

I stared at her. "Lust...? What do you think you're doing?"

"Run," she said again, pushing herself from the wall and slinking to the shadows. Her face was hidden, but her eyes reflected with the light in the sunlit street, and had an eerie look to them. Her fingers twitched, and she dragged them along the cobble-rock ground. She only had to stand normally with her arms at her sides to reach the ground with her fingers.

I stared at her with wide eyes, stepping back. "What are you going to do?!"

"Put on the show."

Lust leapt forward with her hand wide, dagger-like fingers spread and ready to pierce. I jumped aside with all my might to avoid it in time. I lost my balance and gripped the wall for support.

"You're going to kill me?!"

"I will _try_ too, darling. Only _try_."

"Well, trying can have a fatal outcome, you know!"

"That's if _you_ don't try to survive yourself!"

Lust guided me back out into the street like a shepherd and their sheep. I stumbled out, where many people stared at me strangely.

"What the heck were ya doing in there, little lady?" said one, stopping because I fell in his path. He grabbed my underarms to help me up. Seeing Lust's shadowed figure in the alley advancing, I squirmed out of his grasp, scrambled to my feet and ran.

"What's your hurry?" the man called, then looking into the alley. Lust jumped out and went in pursuit of me. I pushed myself through the crowd desperately, and the man shouted;

"Ho-Homunculus! Homunculus in Central! HOMUNCULUS IN CENTRAL!"

* * *

Dante enter Central Headquarters through a set of double doors, panting. Falman and Yuery were in that room, and they came to her side.

"Lyra, you okay? What's going on?" Falman asked urgently.

"Homunculus... homunculus... there's a homunculus in Central!"

"_**What?!**_" Fuery exclaimed. "N-no way!"

"It's homunculus Lust."

"The one involved with Hughes' murder?!"

"Yes."

"What is she doing in Central?!" Falman cursed. "To wreak more havoc?"

"Second Lieutenant Havoc, present!" the announced one said cheerfully, entering the room. "You guys saying rumours about me? You dogs..."

"We're not talking about you, you dolt!" Falman growled. "There's a homunculus!"

"She's been seen chasing a girl with killing intent," Dante wheezed, ignoring the outburst and keeping her face from smirking as much as possible. "I'm afraid if we wait any longer, that girl's in terrible danger!"

Fuery had already gone behind the receptionist's desk and reached for the mouthpiece of the PA.

"Code Black! I repeat, Code Black! Homunculus in the vicinity, repeat, _**homunculus in the vicinity!**_ Officers involved in the Homunculus Brigade, report to the main building _immediately!_"

Almost before anyone could react, nearby came the yell;

"BIG BROTHER!"

Edward Elric smashed through the doors, looking grave. He looked around behind him. "Come on, Al! We can't let this homunculus get away! Which one is it, anyway?!"

"It's Lust, Ed," Falman answered. "But you're not a permanent officer. You can't go and get yourself killed, pipsqueak."

"_YOU CALLING ME __**SHORT?!**__ I'M NOT SHORT!_"

Dante put her hand in front of her mouth and let herself smirk at Edward's childish tantrum. _He won't take no for an answer, the stubborn brat,_ she thought triumphantly. _He'll take the bait without a second thought._

"Ed!" Alphonse pleaded "We have to help the people! There's no telling what'll happen if we let this go on!"

"You read my mind, Al! Let's go!"

"Ed! You can't!" Yuery protested. "Can't you wait until Lieutenant Mustang and Hawkeye get here--?"

"No time to lose for that jerk! We gotta go! Just follow the screams!" Ed said, and charged through the front doors, jumping down the steps. Alphonse followed, his armour accompanying loud clangs as he sprinted after his brother.

Dante's eyes narrowed with glee. _Plan set into motion..._

* * *

I took a sharp turn in hopes of losing her, but I kept running at top speed, even if my lungs burned with the desire to breathe. People screamed as they saw the pale-skinned Lust jump repeatedly to cover over the distance between me and herself. Where the screams were loudest I knew that was where she was.

Taking shortcuts through alley ways, I wall-jumped to avoid crashing into any garbage cans. I took a glimpse behind me to found that Lust wasn't behind me anymore. The screams were still close by, though, so I continued going my hardest.

I burst into the sunlight again, and I found myself by a very large wall, as if a palace or government building. The plaza that it was along was large and almost deserted, making me feel small and vulnerable. I quickened my speed so that I would get out of the place sooner.

The gate marked the middle of the route across the plaza. As I was passing it, I saw from the corner of my eye something running from a large building. I looked to the side to see a blonde-haired boy in a red travelling-coat running toward the gate, followed by a guy in armour. The boy shouted, "Hey, you! Stop! Where are you going?!"

I stopped and looked at him as he grew closer. By then he was about ten meters, and I could see his determined golden eyes. While panting and clutching my chest, I thought, _Who is this guy...?_

I felt a sudden disturbance in the air and I turned around and looked at the sky. A black wisp grew larger and larger as it descended, and I jumped out of the way. Lust landed heavily, the cobblestone pavement dented and broken in the ground of where she landed with the force of gravity. She looked over to the gate and smiled.

"Hello, Edward."

I wasn't able to see who exactly she was addressing, but I thought in realization, _I've already found them?! And I did it by accident! _

"_**Lust!**_" the boy bellowed. "What are you doing in Central?!"

"I believe that it's _nothing of your concern!_" Lust replied, and in the words she spoke with emphasis she leapt at me. Her fingers impaled my left shoulder, and I cried out in pain. Blood spurted and painted the gate's wall as I fell a couple of meters from where Lust struck me. I struggled to my feet and stared at Lust, right hand squeezing my shoulder and eyes keeping Lust in my sights. The two Alchemists had arrived outside the gate where Lust first landed. I turned around and ran for it, my left arm useless and numb from pain. I sensed Lust following, and the alchemists were as well.

"Stop running!" the blonde boy called, annoyed.

"Best to listen to him, girl," Lust said nastily. Good acting. "It'll make everything all the more easier for me."

Down the plaza I fled, my left arm waving like dead weight. As the street got narrower, I found more alleyways branching off. I turned into one, only to stop and cry out in dismay.

The alley was a dead-end, with the wall looking like it had something red explode and splatter its contents on it. I turned around quickly to see Lust at the entrance. She walked slowly toward me, my own blood dripping from her fingers.

I backed away into the wall, lost at what to do. She stopped in front of me, slowly raising her hand. With the same exact fingers, she put them into the same hole she created and twisting, making me scream. I knew that my scream would probably be heard from all around, maybe leading some help to me. I looked at Lust with eyes screwed up in agony. To my surprise, she was smiling calmly.

"Good work, Malice: you're a great actress," she commented. I was acting? Everything was so genuine, I couldn't believe it. " I'll come by with a few Red Stones for your treat."

She retreated her fingers, letting me slide down the wall and hit the ground. I collapsed onto my side, wincing. Lust looked down on me, then to the entrance of the alley.

"Here he comes," she breathed, then winked at me. "Good luck."

With that, Lust jumped up into the darkness of the tall building and disappeared. Footfalls grew louder, and soon the entrance was blocked by two figures.

"Where did Lust go?! Damn it, we lost her!"

"Brother, look!"

"Eh?"

I breathed heavily, my vision failing. The two figures came to my body's side and crouched. I saw the golden-eyed boy the clearest, and he seemed rather concerned.

"Can you carry her?"

"Sure thing, brother," the armoured person grabbed hold of me and lifted me in his arms. "But what about Lust?"

"Oh, she'll just have to wait," the boy said regretfully. "This girl needs medical attention more. Let's go!"

Before we moved, I saw the boy turn to the wall, close his eyes, sigh, and run off. The armoured person watched after him, then turned to the wall, bowing his head. "Bye... Nina..."

It was around there that I lost consciousness, bleeding in the one alchemist's arms. I didn't know what the hell was going on. Nor did I want to know, because at that moment I wanted nothing more than to be in the peaceful plane of sleep and/or death.

* * *

I opened my eyes slowly and looked around, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the light. I found myself in a bed and covered in white sheets. A bedside table stood nearby, and there was a curtain going along the ceiling beyond that. I realized that I was in some medical wing. I touched my shoulder and found cloth under it, wrapped tightly. I grunted as I sat up, swung my legs over the edge of the bed, and stood. My legs felt weird and tired, but I refused to fall to their will. I reached and looked around the curtain.

The large armour stared back at me on the other side, and I yelped loudly, falling backwards. I fell on the bed, then went crashing over the other side, crashing to the ground.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!"

I looked back up to see that the helmet was looking around the curtain. I looked at him in fear, like some transfixed animal. _If he's the FullMetal Alchemist, then I'm going to have a hell of a time taking him down,_ I thought incredulously.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice echoing with a metallic sound in his armour. His voice sounded young, and I had sudden doubts. Would an accomplished alchemist be so young? He was the first to pass the test as a kid, but still...

I nodded silently, mouth agape. I didn't move from my spot; I held onto the sheets tightly and was looking over the bed like a frightened child. What if he wasn't human? What if whatever inside was just an imitation?

"Never knew you'd scare a girl this much," another voice laughed, and the golden haired boy looked around the curtain.

"I didn't mean to!" the armoured brother protested. "I was just sitting on the bench, you saw me!"

"Yeah, I know," the other grinned, and gestured to me. "Hiya."

He stepped closer, and I instinctively edged away. I finally backed into a corner, and was trapped. He stopped, and bent over, his face almost the same level as mine. I didn't realize that I was trembling.

"You gave us quite a scare," he chuckled. "We thought you might have died."

I looked down, and wondered if Lust would have intentionally tried to kill me. I knew she was only trying to put up a realistic situation, but I couldn't help wondering if she was willing to kill me if she was ordered it. My shoulder began to throb, and I rubbed it. It was a good thing that my gloves were still on, because then the person in front of me would most likely have seen the Ouroboros.

"You're weird."

I looked up at him and saw him smiling slightly. He started to explain, "While the doctors were treating you, they wanted to remove your gloves. You, on the other hand, refused them while you were still fast asleep."

I held my breath. How could I have been so unaware as to let myself do that? To my surprise, the boy didn't look at all suspicious as to what I was hiding. He was grinning instead.

"Wish I could do that; know what's going on around me as I sleep, I mean," he smiled. "It's pretty cool."

I stared at him, then swallowed. First he called me weird, then said that the thing that pronounced me 'weird' was cool. Now _that's_ weird. "Th-Thank you," I whispered, with no idea of what to say. I looked at his brother, then back at him. "Are you... are you the FullMetal Alchemist?"

He blinked at me in bewilderment, and I wondered if I asked him the wrong question, or asked the wrong person all in particular. What if he had no connection with that title whatsoever?

The boy laughed. "You know what? I think you're the first stranger I've _ever_ met that's guessed right!"

My face slowly retreated from being feeble, and I leaned forward, making him pull back, blinking. My mouth stretched into a smile, looking at him warmly. I intended the look to be a comfortable gesture, but I was celebrating inside. Now that I knew that the FullMetal Alchemist was about my size and that he was human, I knew that he was able to die.

"She doesn't look disappointed at all," Alphonse Elric teased his brother. "Maybe she likes you!!"

"Al, come on!" Ed protested. His cheeks were reddening. "That isn't really something to say in front of someone else!"

I laughed softly, and he turned back to me, blushing more. He offered his hand. "Need help getting up?"

I smiled at his offer, and I took it. He pulled me up and watched me as I brushed myself off. I mentally smirked when I saw that was about an inch taller than him. Seems there _was_ someone shorter than me in this world.

"I forgot to introduce my brother," Ed flicked his head in Al's direction. "He's Alphonse, but most call him Al. He's younger than me, just so you know. What's your name?"

I looked at him, and bowed. "Urami."

"Really? That's... unique," he commented. "Never met a girl with a name like that."

"That's all I really remember, actually," I replied.

"You have amnesia?" Al asked.

"Somewhat."

"Do you remember Lust attacking you, at least?" Ed questioned.

I looked at my shoulder, and asked to give effect, "The one who attacked me?"

"Yeah. Lust. One of the seven homunculi out there."

"Homunculi?"

Ed started to explain to me the role that the homunculi had in society. The thing he didn't know was that there were, in fact, _eight_ homunculi, and he was speaking to one right now. _Interesting,_ I thought. _He makes it sound like we're evil..._

"...and now they're looking for the Philosopher's Stone."

"...what?"

"I don't want to bore you about that right now," Ed smiled. "You hungry?"

I rubbed my stomach, feeling a bit of hunger. But I didn't know if it was for Red Stones or real food. I smiled weakly and nodded.

"Then maybe we can go out and get a bite somewhere," he took my hand with his left and tugged. I followed obediently until Alphonse looked at Edward and scolded, "But what about her shoulder?"

"It doesn't bother me, really," I reassured him. "I'll be fine. I just need my shirt and pants."

Ed seemed to realize just now that my torso had only bandages on it. His face reddened again when he saw no bra-straps, then looked down my body to see I was in my underwear. His eyes lingered on my curves, and his cheeked darkened harder. He let go of my hand and ran behind the curtain.

"S-Sorry!" he stuttered. Alphonse chuckled and followed him, dragging the curtain to give me privacy. I shook my head, smiling, and stepped out a few minutes later after I had dressed. Ed's face was still flushed. "We ready to go?" I asked.

"Yep," Al said cheerfully, then nudged Edward. "Right, big brother?"

"Y-Yeah," he said, not facing me quite yet. "Let's go."

_End of Chapter  
_

* * *

_A/N: _Lovely, lovely stuff. It's been done, the mashing of chapters. But to you, I present chapter two. If it seems like there's been repeating of things, it's simply because I haven't gotten everything under control yet. But if not, I simply say that I hope you enjoyed the chapter. :) Later!

~Vixen


	3. Decision

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 3

"What would you like, Urami?" Al asked me kindly. I shrugged, a small smile on my lips as a façade. The one who resided in that large piece of metal certainly didn't seem like what the visage promoted; all I sensed was a gentle boy, one that wouldn't hurt anything. Obviously not a threat. He had taken the post of accompanying my right side, watching if I needed to be helped at any time. Like a loyal dog. It was strange walking down the sidewalk with such a large figure by my side, but I showed no signs of alien behaviour.

Edward walked ahead of us, hands in his pockets. He hadn't spoken since leaving the hospital, seeming nonchalant and cool about everything. Did he act like this all the time? I couldn't tell, and if it was, then I decided that I would have to break that wall of indifference, if I were to make him succumb to me and satisfy my mission.

I saw him sneak a peek back at me, and he noticed that he was the focus of my gaze while he was unaware. When he caught my eyes, he adverted his own, back to the front. I tilted my head slightly, and side-glanced at Al. He shrugged with a childish chuckle. "I think he's shy with you," he informed quietly.

"What's there to be shy about?" I asked, but Al shrugged again, laughing quietly. Ed glared at him over his shoulder.

"That's not fair, Al; stop talking behind my back!" he protested, and it caused me to laugh too. He looked to me, blushed, and turned his back to me. "We're almost there, so come on, let's not start a scrap, okay?"

I giggled again to conclude the conversation nicely, and I saw Edward's cheeks slightly lift from where I was walking. Did he smile? I wasn't sure, but I noted that if I laugh kindly, it will make him more comfortable. I'll do so when I see such opportunities come. It made me sick of myself, but it was needed.

"Here we are!" Al said, waving a hand at the sign. I didn't care for what the place was called, so I stared at the door. Edward reached for the door, held it open and waited for me to go through. I smiled at him kindly, passed him, and added a giggle just for the hell of it.

_For the sake of the mission, for the sake of the mission, for the sake of the mission..._

"Thank you," I breathed. He looked as if he was searching for something memorable to say, but instead forced himself to result to nodding hesitantly and saying 'no problem.' I smirked inwardly at his helplessness.

After the three of us were inside, we got ourselves a table by one of the windows. Al was large enough to take up two seats, so Edward and I shared a bench. He seemed nervous when I closed off his way of escape; on one side he was trapped by the window, and on the other, there was me.

"Can't you get out of there?" I asked Al curiously, after we had ordered some meals. He and Ed exchanged a glance that I didn't understand, but in the end he shook his head to answer my question. "Must be uncomfortable sitting in armour all day..."

"I'd rather not," his voice contained a smile. "I feel... safer."

"What are you afraid of? Is there someone pursuing you or trying to kill you?"

"No, no!"

"Because you know, I can give him or her a piece of my mind for you, if you want," I smiled sweetly, trying to stay within my façade's boundaries. Though I think it gave an additional effect, because the words twisted the smile into something more threatening. Al sweat-dropped, but I just closed my eyes, and smirking now. "I don't take well to those who threaten people I know. People I'd rather not see hurt."

_Never knew I could lie. Good job,_ I praised myself. This encouraged me to keep my cool, and would continue to do so in the future, if I were to lie about things that were actually important. I would never fall if I had anything to do with it.

"That's very nice of you, but that's not it, really!" he waved his hands about in this misunderstanding, but I waved it away like a bothersome fly. Ed was fiddling about with a coffee stirrer and didn't say anything.

"Table 5!!"

Al got to his feet, said, "I'll get it!", and left Edward and myself alone. I watched him go, and looked around the place to occupy myself, seeing as Ed didn't want to talk with me.

"I'm..."

I spoke, or thought, too soon. I turned to him, and he was still fiddling with the coffee stirrer, and a blush touched his cheeks ever so slightly. I tilted my head to the side curiously, and when he glanced at me sideways, he blushed deeper.

He blurted, "I'm sorry about earlier."

"What did you do?"

His mouth dropped a little, and he finally looked at me full-on. I blinked, still giving him that look. "If you're talking about seeing me nearly naked," I said bluntly, "then you have another thing coming. That didn't faze me one bit. You shouldn't feel bad; you didn't realize!"

"It was still evading your privacy, to see you—"

"_In my underwear._ Big deal," I reached over and patted Ed's cheek, to which he responded to with wide eyes. A tremor shocked through my spine unnoticed at contact, and I managed to suppress my malice from even grazing the surface of myself. I gave him a serious look. "If you saw me, then _touched me inappropriately_, then that would be something to be sorry about. I'd beat the shit out of you, to put it mildly. So don't worry about it. You're innocent."

My one finger twitched, ever so slightly, making my Ouroboros throb softly. I prolonged holding his jaw, and he only stared at me. With those deep, golden eyes of his. It was like comparing a peacock male with its mate; the male was a flurry of wonderful arrays of colourful feathers, whereas the female was a dead-looking thing, unnoticed. His eyes were gold and putting my grey eyes to shame. A spark of doubt antagonized my heart... what did Wrath think that I could accomplish here? Why would I attract this boy? What could I possibly have to offer through my looks? They never look for the soul...

Whoops. I don't have a soul. That made matters worse, then. I had nothing to offer _at _all, if I was supposed to make him fall for me. I guess I would just have to kill him some other way, like as his friend. That would work nicely, and wouldn't bother me with some romantic crap.

_He must die to fufill my mission._

"What'chya guys doing?"

Both I and Edward froze and glanced at Al, who was standing next to the table hold a tray of steaming food. There may as well have been a question mark hovering over his head. I leaned back to my place immediately and folded my hands in my lap.

"Counselling," I said firmly, lips pursed. Well, it was close to the truth. Edward seemed distant after that, and only moved when the plate was set before him by his brother.

Frankly, I preferred Red Stones. The meal I was given was tasty, no doubt, and warm, but not satisfying. I ate regardless, and aimed to finish it as fast as possible, without adopting a strange behaviour.

I found it peculiar that Al didn't eat anything. He watched us eat, looked outside, and ripped a paper napkin delicately and slowly. He certainly was Ed's brother, it seemed, distracting himself by means of the nearest object. I found it strange, though, that he used table salt and pepper to create strange circles on and around the ripped up napkin. I lowered my fork and watched closely, and when he finished his design he simply pressed his fingertips at the sides.

I jumped back a little when he created small charges of electricity that danced around the napkin. When it was over, the napkin was a good as new, and Al picked it up and handed it to Ed, who was in need of one, anyway.

"Thanks, Al."

"No problem."

I blinked. So this was what alchemy was. Both of the Elric Brothers noticed my stillness, and Ed smiled apologetically, if not bashfully. He swallowed whatever he had in his mouth and laughed.

"Sorry."

"Was that alchemy?"

"Yeah. Alchemy, breaking things down, then rebuilding something new. I hope you don't take offence."

My brows furrowed. "Why would I take offence?"

"Um, well..." he scratched the back of his neck. He was better than he was a few minutes ago, but he was still hesitant. "The people of Ishbal believe that the one God created everything, and they hate Alchemists because we use things around us to create something else. They think we're defiling the beauty of their God."

"Not all of them," Al interjected, finger up in reprimand. "That's prejudice, big brother."

"Right," Ed nodded, accepting the correction. He continued on more harshly, "There's one that takes it totally out of proportion and uses it as an excuse to kill State Alchemists."

This was obviously not what Al intended. "We don't know Scar's side of the story!"

"That's beside the point! He's still claiming he is his God's messenger!"

"He's just misguided!"

"He's just delusional!"

"How does this offend me?" I broke their argument off, sensing the brotherly squabble evolving into something useless. Ed turned to me, and he smiled in embarrassment again.

"Well, I just thought that you possibly had a belief similar to that. Nowadays lots of people are into religion—"

"_I believe in no God._"

At the thought, things in my mind grew bitter. My thoughts rotted when they coiled around the idea of _belief_ and _deities_. My mentality reflected my facial expression it seemed; I saw my disgusted face in the mug of water I grabbed during the conversation. Ed and Al remained silent, and I whispered grimly, moreso to myself.

"_He would have never let this happen to me, if I believed and worshipped Him_."

They thought I was speaking of my memory.

I was just speaking about my general _existence._

* * *

"Urami?"

"Hm?"

It was now dusk; the sun was setting. It was somewhere in the afternoon that I had awaken and met the Elric Brothers, and now we were returning to the hospital, where I was undoubtably expected for more treatment and analysis. I held my hands within themselves, as if shielding the Ouroboros under the leather of my right hand. _They better not touched me here._

I turned when Al called my name at the foot of the steps leading to the doors. Both he and Edward were walking alongside each other on the way there, after seeing that I'd rather burrow in my own thoughts after that outburst. I looked at Edward, who had a serious, business-like expression on his visage.

"Urami," he said — this was the first time _he _said my '_name'_ — with a slight bow of his head. "Me and Al have been talking..."

"I hope it's not another bickering round?" I sighed. Ed smiled, but shook his head.

"No. We just decided that... we're going to help you find your memories."

"What?"

With the sunset on his back, he looked like some holy messenger, an angel. It mesmerized me for a moment, but I scowled at myself. His eyes were very smothering, though, in this light... I swore mentally and threatened my mind, that if I didn't visualize that burning horizon as blood, I'd brutally mutilate myself as punishment.

"Well, it's the least we can do, really," he said kindly. He scratched the back of his neck again, modestly. "We don't like leaving problems unresolved. And... we want to help you, Urami."

"I'm sure a State Alchemist has a lot to do," I persisted, stepping up the steps slowly. "Helping a stranger? What will your superiors—?"

"Mustang can shove his oversized ego up his ass, for all I care," Ed snorted. Catching himself with a rude comment, he resumed his polite approach to me. "And you're not a stranger anymore. You're our friend."

_Well, that was easy,_ I thought incredulously. I took another step.

"I don't want to be a burden..."

"No!" Suddenly Ed spun from my side, having caught up the steps, and took my hands in this. I could have hissed, since he almost made my Ouroboros activate, but his eyes held so much determination that I was speechless. The tremors of my spine were becoming more hard to sustain, the malice becoming more rebellious. "You won't ever be a burden," he declared.

"Yeah! A friend is never trouble to us," Al added, coming up to us with clanging limbs. The eyes that glowed faintly in the darkness of his helm curved in content crescent moons. "We'd be happy to help you."

I smirked inside.

"Really...? You'd do this... for me?"

They both nodded eagerly. My smirk grew wider, but it only reached the surface as a small smile. I knitted my brows upwards to transform the mirth into gratitude.

"Thank you, thank you so much. This means a lot to me..."

"No problem, least we can do for Ed's—"

"DON'T EVEN GO THERE!"

_Ed has quite a temper. _He chased Al around the grounds like a maniac, Al laughing playfully, and I stood by, holding my right hand to my lips to mask a laugh.

Though it wasn't one of delight, but of scorn.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_Ahhh! There!_

It's like the middle of March Break and I decided NOW to update this X.X I wrote a chapter of BoD yesterday, and since most people like this one, I tried, and I hope you liked it ^^ I made it extra long so you would forgive me. T.T

I've actually developed my interest for this one again, and hopefully I'll make another chapter soon. It's midnight right now, so I won't look for errors 'til the morning, maybe.

Hope you liked it! ^^

**Special Thanks To**

**kuro-30fyre**

I'll try to write more often, and try to actually _finish_ the story in a satisfying manner. :) Don't worry! That will be a long way ahead, so I hope you like the chapters coming!

_**Red-hEadNight1Over**_

I'll try my best! -salute- There may be those days where this story is the least of my worries, but I will try to keep it in the chambers of my mind, pestering me! Maybe that'll snap me back to work.

**Sadisticshadowcat**

Your review was inspiring XD It was nice of you to poke me endlessly ;) I hope to update more, that's for sure!

**Seengot**

Breif, but straight to the point. I got the message perfectly and will obey you! ...hopefully. I hope I don't disappoint with my ideas in the future, and just with my absence D:

And finally

**Princesa de la Luna**

Your one-worded reviews 'til the last chapter I updated last were greatly appreciated. -laugh- Thank you. And hopefully I can tie in some plot references, so it's my plan to use some aspects of the original plot, and maybe twist them a little. I hope you don't mind me being... the opposite of a perfectionist :D

**Thank you all for your reviews!! **_**LOVE YOU!**_


	4. Distrust

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

**Special Thanks To**

**Miorochi**: Your review actually inspired me with an idea with this chapter... I thank you for that! ^^ Now hopefully I can get this idea written down before it disappears into the dark abyss that is my short-term memory.

**nagashi no kuro (I can't put the periods for some reason...)**: Your review also made me smile~ -heart- I didn't realize that people out there would actually be that interested. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out sometime during the week, if I handle my time wisely!

and

**BlueWolves95**: Thank you very much for the review, and we certainly will see what Urami will do next ;) Just be patient with me; I tend to stray from my tasks a lot. Hopefully I can keep my mind on a chapter without succumbing to distractions.

And here I bestow the chapter~

* * *

Chapter 4

They visited me a lot, those brothers. It seemed like they would come to see me every day, and take me away with them into the city of Central, different things to do each time. It was sort of a relief, since I didn't take favour of staying in that military hospital; I didn't take the doctor's attention too well, and it was really irritating and worrying to have so many people around, each with the ability to reveal me as who I am. The Elric Brothers coming to pick me up was a certain advantage to this.

Sometimes they'd take me along for some of their errands. Well, Ed's errands, moreso. He used his position as State Alchemist as sort of a permit to let him access things, and he had the silver pocket watch to prove it. This small trinket allowed him access to the books in the National Central Library, and we spent most of our time there. I obviously knew that what Edward was researching for was the Philosopher's Stone. I wasn't even sure if he knew what this entity was made of, but I kept quiet. In the meantime, Al tried to make me remember my past by showering me pictures of places.

"Youswell?" Al held up a picture, saying the name that accompanied the image. It was pretty rundown in places, mines surrounding the perimeter. I shook my head, and Al fished out another photo, all of which had similar results.

"Aquroya?"

"Xenotime?"

"Rush Valley?"

I shook my head a lot. And I was being truthful; none of them seemed even vaguely familiar. Perhaps as a humonculus, I didn't have a chance of remembering...

"Resembool?"

"Al, if Urami had lived in Resembool, we'd have met her sooner," Ed chuckled softly. He didn't seem that intent on his research — his books were well-enough closed — and he simply sat and watched Al and I. He had left his pocket watch on the table, and out of the oblivious need to hold something, I picked it up and held is in my hands. He didn't mind; he just watched me as I did so.

"What is Resembool to you?" I asked nicely. "Is it your hometown?"

The both of them smiled and nodded. I noticed the smiles weren't as happy as they should of been, though. "It's where we grew up," Ed said distantly. "Al and I learned how to do alchemy from the many books that our father, an alchemist too, left behind, along with us. We lived there with our mother a few years ago."

"And you left to become a State Alchemist. Your mom must be so proud of you."

I was startled by the look of hurt that shot across Edward's face. That was not what I intended, not in the slightest. Al seemed silent from that and just reassembled the photos in an orderly fashion.

"What?" I asked in confusion. "Is being a State Alchemist bad?"

I saw Ed's brow twitch before he grinned and laughed. It was from that one slip of control that I knew that the position wasn't what hurt him. "Heh, yeah. Mom's not too happy with us becoming the 'dogs of the military'. So we haven't gone home in a long while... except a few days ago, to see our good friend Winry. We didn't see our mom though..."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." I murmured.

Feeling a little neglect inside.

At one point of this mission, I felt triumphant, on top of the world, having earned the Elric Brother's trust so _easily_... but it was on the contrary. If they trusted me so, they would have been more open to sharing with me about their lives, purposes, but they lied — or so I assumed — to restrict me from treading near the truth. I could care less of what they did as children, but if this barrier was to get in my way in the future, I'll have a higher percentage of screwing things up. I knew it was just too sickening to think that they were on my leash so quickly...

In my pondering, my fingers thought on their own accord, and were finding ways to explore the pocket watch. I was interrupted from my own thoughts when they managed to pry it open slowly, somehow. I couldn't open it before, when I tried behind Edward's back; it was simply closed in too tight. Curious, I slowly opened it, and it was on my lap under the table, so no one could see... Of course, on one side were the hands moving in their circular cycle of the time, but on the other half, I saw words and numbers carved into the metal. The date meant nothing to me, but two words puzzled me. I mouthed the words in question.

_dOn'T fOrGeT._

"May I have my pocket watch, Urami?"

I heard a certain sharpness in his whisper, and I gave a start. Those golden eyes of his were watching me more closely, and I was surprised and angry that my cheeks burned under his gaze. I closed the pocket watch as softly as I could, so no sound would come, and then showed it over the top of the table and handed it over to him. "Sorry," I managed softly.

His right hand came up to retrieve it, and a smile of reassurance was on his lips. "It's no problem," he replied, his fingers curling around it. I don't know why I hadn't realized sooner, but his arm was of steel; I saw when his sleeve slipped a little. I thought his right hand seemed more solid than his left when we touched or brushed against each other, but I never realized this. From what I heard from Al earlier, Winry was a mechanic... it made sense that Edward went back to Resembool because he needed maintenance. All that stuff was meaningless to me, though... what could it possibly advantage me with?

Ed saw my expression and covered his arm again, cheeks reddening a little. My cheeks were red, too, and I was infuriated with myself that I couldn't find the right words to say. I'd only spent a few days with him, and he was already rubbing off on me with his shyness.

I just couldn't accept that this embarrassing feeling was my own.

"Edward? Alphonse?"

All three of us looked to the door to see a girl with many, many transcripts piled up in her arms. She was clumsily heading over to the table when she threatened to trip, and Al came to her aid. When the both of them came to the table and set the papers down, the girl fixed her brown hair and adjusted her glasses.

"Sorry it took so long," she sighed, breathless, "but there was so much material that it took me five days to write it down." She straightened all the transcripts out in ordered piles on the table, then continued in an enthusiastic voice, as if presenting a prize on a TV show. "Here you go! Tim Marcoh's Reserach notes, to the letter!"

"Sheska!" Edward gawked at the pile of documents, and laughed. "You actually did it?"

"Well, I _do_ have a photographic memory," she giggled modestly. She looked at me curiously, seeming I didn't fit in with this picture, but I didn't mind being ignored in this conversation. As long as I was still able to listen, it never bothered me. The one named Sheska turned back to Al, who was shifting through them.

"Now it makes sense. Marcoh couldn't run away with his notes because of the sheer volume of material," he mused.

"And you're sure this is all of Marcoh's?" Edward asked.

"Yes! Without a doubt!" she said happily. She held up a transcript and announced it proudly; "Tim Marcoh's recipe book— **"1,000 Meals for Daily Living"**!"

I knew that didn't feel right. From what I heard from the brothers, they were looking for documents of the Philosopher's Stone by an alchemist named Marcoh. I picked off a transcript from the pile and peeked at the first page._ Why would write recipes...? I think Ed's been played..._

"Now Sheska, you're sure that this is a **flawless** reproduction of Mr. Marcoh's notes, down to the last word and phrase?"

I stared at Edward in question. He had a devious grin on his face.

"Yes! There are no mistakes," Sheska said.

The grin grew wider. "You're amazing. Thanks a lot."

My mind was working furiously as Edward and Al organized the pile, and Edward wrote a cheque for Sheska. According to her reaction, it must have been a lot of money. Something to help her mother with, Edward said. She was happy heading out the door, thanking to the point of my sickness. When she left, Edward eyed the transcripts like a highly valuable treasure.

"...Edward?" I ventured. He gave me his attention, and I questioned, "What does a recipe book have to do with the Philosopher's Stone?"

That same devious look crossed his features, caught up in the excitement he felt. "Let's first revisit your first question about State Alchemists," he began. " 'Alchemists work for the people...'. That's our order's motto. Alchemists have always strived to use their powers to benefit ordinary people. State Alchemists go against that motto, which is why we're called ' Dogs of the Military'. Are you still with me?" I nodded. "At the same time, we have an obligation to keep our trade secrets out of the public arena."

"Oh... and state alchemists don't want their knowledge to fall into the wrong hands," I realized. He smiled in approval.

"You got it. Which is why, to keep that from happening, we Alchemists keep our notes in _code_**.** This may look lik a normal recipe book to most people," he motioned to the documents on the table, "but in reality, it's a high-level alchemical document written in a code known only to the person who wrote it!"

"But... how will you decipher it, if it's a code only known to the person who wrote it? In this case, Marcoh?"

"With knowledge, inspiration, patience, and hard work," Al dictated as if it were an old Alchemist rule. "These notes might be easier to decipher, though, because they're disguised as a recipe book. After all, some people say that alchemy originated in the kitchen."

I made a sound in my throat to signify that I understood. From what recipes I read, I couldn't find_anything_ in there to make any connections with the Philosopher's Stone. "Should I leave early, then?" I inquired, standing up. "With this much to decipher, I would think that you would need all the time you can get."

"Heh, yeah," Edward exhaled, sweatdropping. When he saw that I was leaving though, his ease slipped. "Wait, n-now?"

"Yep. The more time, the better, right?"

"But the sun's setting. I'll come with you."

I laughed. "My shoulder isn't hurting me that much anymore. You don't have to worry about me as much, now that I can be capable of defending myse—"

"I insist," he cut me off, appearing at my side. "You can start us off, right Al?"

"Sure thing, big brother," Al called, already buried in the notes. Edward went ahead of me, opened the door and held it for me. I managed a small smile and exitted with him.

Maybe, if we were alone, I could recover from those moments of awkwardness and infiltrate his defenses...?

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _Okay, there we have a chapter before I start on my March Break homework before tomorrow. Yippee.

I know the chronological order of the main plot in the manga is seriously out of whack in this story, but I can't really go back and fix the fact that Hughes is dead (RIP Hughes. -broken heart-) but really, this is a fan fiction, and it doesn't have to be perfect. You think you're fine with that? Sorry for the inconvenience. Also, the scene with Sheska and the explanation of the code is straight from the manga I have on my shelf (some messed up a bit...), so... copyright to Hiromu Arakawa :D

Now I have a question for you... does anybody know what time the new season of Fullmetal Alchemist airs on April 5th? And on what channel? I know it's FUNimation, but I'm clueless on where that is in Rogers. Please PM me or add it to the end of your review, if you have any intention to.

Though you should know by now, I love your reviews. XD Love you!


	5. Opportunity

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

**Special Thanks To**

**Miorochi**: I have a weird way of receiving inspirations, or maybe I used the wrong word. See, I read your review, then it lead to a thought, and then it lead to _another _thought, and so on and so forth. It was the fact that Urami gained their trust so easily that had me deciding that that seemed too unrealistic. As you saw in Chapter 10, I changed that when a conversation went and regarded Ed and Al's mom. The rest of the chapter came to me smoothly after that. So, if you didn't review Chapter 9 like you did, then I may have not gained any idea on how to start and continue with Chapter 10. That's what I meant by inspiration. :) Thanks for your new review, too. -heart-

**BlueWolves95**: Thank you for understanding~ -hug- It does tend to get a little stressful when there's all these things used as a distraction. In fact, my Literacy test is coming up Thursday, and if I fail it I'd have to take it again next year. . It's either I neglect my fanfictions or school, and both are equally important to me. And I'll try to go and stalk about your account, see what you've got. :D

**Sadisticshadowcat**: I'm glad I pleased you. XD No worries about Chapter 9, I'm just happy you reviewed anyway. And that would be nice of you, but you don't have to. I AM glad you _read The Demon Lord Who Spared Me_ up to date, but it's pretty much on hiatus until I actually FINISH this one. -sweatdrop- ... unless I perhaps get an idea and break out of the void. So I'm sorry I phal at fanfictionism. D:

**GoddessPhoenix3173: **Thank you very much! :3 I'm glad that the story interests you, and hopefully it'll interest you more in the future.

**prettypopcandy:** Yes! Now I can watch them! :D I'm updated up til episode 4, so now I have some references to go to for this fic, as well for my own enjoyment. Thank you! -heart-

**Kit-Kale:** Haha, I'm glad you love it. Thank you for reviewing!

and

**PurpleViolin:** Wow, such energy and enthusiasm! XD I love it. I' glad that you enjoy this story~ I've been holding back this chapter for a while since I lost inspiration half-way, but I've finally finished it off for now. Thanks for reviewing!

Man, this turned out to be a page's worth. No more stalling! On to Chapter 5!

* * *

Chapter 5

Edward walked at my left side, a little silent at first. My eyes wondered as I walked, and I_ did _feel a little awkward in the silence. I wanted to slip past his barrier, but I didn't have the slightest clue how. Was talking about his mother really such a touchy subject, when all she felt was disappointment in him? And what else was he hiding from me?

"...Urami?"

"Yeah?"

He had stopped walking suddenly before he said my name, and I had walked a little further before I had realized he stopped. I turned to him and tilted my head in question. He had been looking at the sidewalk for a second, then looked at me, face as if etched from stone, but those eyes remained golden flames, cool and yet not angry.

"...You... opened my pocket watch, didn't you."

It wasn't a question, I knew. He knew. It _was_ pretty obvious... I had it on my lap, looking at it, and when I opened it, my expression must of given it away. I didn't know what exactly to do, so I went and made my brows knit upwards in what I hoped was remorse. I shifted my eyes to the side — feinting shame —, grimaced, then looked back to him with regret.

"I'm sorry, Edward..."

"I'm not angry with you."

As I blinked, he smiled a little, weakly. He had been so excited about Marcoh's newly-transcribed notes, and yet now, he seemed solemn and a little ashamed. He reminded me a little of myself at this moment; me, a lying, cheating shadow in a new skin. That fit myself, not him. He was just... confused, perhaps? Mixed feelings... he was very hard to read for me. Maybe it was because I was a homunculus? I sincerely didn't know. I wondered if it was the same for him, having the inability of reading me. I certainly hoped so.

"You're... you're not?"

He shook his head, weak smile still in place, and his gaze drifting to the ground as he fumbled for the pocket watch in his pocket. He retrieved it and opened it himself. "I... haven't even shown it to Al," he whispered. "It's something that reminds me... of what I promised myself a long time ago, something to keep myself going. Seeing that—"

He cut himself off, most likely fearing saying too much. I didn't pressure him to continue; I already had my question answered. Those etchings are merely some motivator, I concluded. _Nothing more, or anything more that would gain my interest,_ I thought.

He walked forward again to walk alongside me, and we continued to walk along the partially-busy street. "Haven't I broken it, then?" I asked. "Shouldn't you be a least a _little_ angry about that?"

He laughed, "Believe me, you weren't the first one to force it open. When I went over to Winry's not too long ago, she did it herself. Her and her mechanical obsession..." He sighed a little. "I don't know if I was just a little too harsh on her..."

"This Winry," I mused. "She must be very special."

"She is," Edward agreed, nodding ever so slightly. "We've been friends ever since we were small, and though she annoys the hell out of me sometimes, I know she only means well. It's hard to admit, but she worries about us."

"And she keeps your arm in tiptop shape, huh?"

He nodded again, smiling. That expression — one that showed fond memories were floating by — was making me sick in the core. That was a stupid move I made... reminding him of some _girl_ I didn't know anything about. Who am I to believe that they were just friends?

I was starting to feel something very fiery and decomposing within me... was this what they called jealousy? At one point, where I doubted myself to be anything _near_ attractive to this boy, I decided that befriending him would be enough. Though, here I was, as his friend. And what has come of it? Have I killed him yet? No.

I wanted more.

I wanted to claim him mine.

Then kill him.

I wanted to go to lengths that permitted me access to his heart, and I wanted to rip him from the inside out. Again, I had no need for the romance, but that could be ignored or taken as an advantage to make the fall even harder. My confidence in my looks were not heightened, but I refused to think that that would ever restrain me. This boy has done nothing wrong to me... but I wanted to do something wrong to him before he had the chance to do such against me.

I felt my sin as it beat with my heart. That was the cause of this deep intention. It whispered like the serpent as it coiled around my soul, and my Ouroboros burned under my glove.

_Malice. That is my name. I must live up to it. This feeling of affection I have for him is __**nothing.**_

Shortly after my epiphany ended, Edward crashed into something with his left side, and his foot and knee made a rather audible and metallic racket. He jumped up in embarrassment, and when he saw that I was staring at him, his cheeks burnt a little darker. I chuckled lightly.

"Daydreaming about Winry, were you?" I laughed faintly, then cut short. "Your leg is automail, too?"

He laughed bashfully, scratching the back of his head. I was so used to it by now, by the number of times he'd done it. I smirked.

"No wonder they call you the Fullmetal Alchemist... but..."

"But what?"

I looked at him in what I assumed was a pout, and he flinched back at it, horrified. Was I doing it wrong? "You've never showed me _why_ you're a State Alchemist," I put sadly.

"Please! Please Urami, don't look at me like that!" He clasped my shoulders and shook me a little, making me laugh. Perhaps it _did _work. Edward stopped, glared, then smirked himself. He took my hand with his right, and I could definitely feel and know that what lain under that glove was pure steel. "Come on, I'll go and show you right now."

And with that he tugged me along and we ran together. I don't know for how long, and we past by many places I had both seen and hardly noticed. There was that large building where I first saw the Elric Brothers exit out of when I was running from Lust, the restaurant the three of us went to eat, and other details I remembered from our ventures through Central. Soon, we came to a park that we passed by sometimes, since it was not too far from the military hospital. Down the stone steps we went, and a little too fast at that. I was beginning to lose my footing. Edward was so caught in his enthusiasm, he didn't notice me stumbling a little; not until my feet actually lost the ground.

"Oi!"

I flew headlong when I tripped and crashed into Edward, and I grabbed him in reaction, physically searching for some foundation to get my balance back. Unluckily, I was too much of a force for him to stop — well, I _did_ have gravity unintentionally on my side here —, and we fell down together, tumbling in a knot. It was a good thing that we didn't have that many stairs left. In a crushed heap I stayed on my back, eyes spinning, unable to focus for a second or more. My shoulder stabbed my body with a pain that knocked the breath out of me, and so it reminded that I was yet no healed. I thought I felt a fluid seeping out of it, but it was hard to tell under the layers I had.

"Urami? Urami?! You okay?"

I had a vague idea that I had landed on Edward, since he felt more appealing than the concrete, and when I focussed again, he was sitting up with me sprawled across his lap. He had a bewildered look on his face.

"Sorry," I grimaced, looking up at his face from my position, "lost my feet for a second."

"Well that second made us fall a bit, didn't it?" he chuckled slightly, shifting under my body to get up himself. "But seriously, are you okay?"

I sat myself up, seated on his lap. I knew it might have been an awkward position, but I just did not feel as if I should retreat. It did not seem intimate to me, either. He might have thought so, though, by the panicked look in his eye.

"Fine," I said. "Just fine."

"Th-that's good," he stuttered, then shut his eyes tight and took a deep breath. He exhaled and nodded. "I'm... glad."

I got off of him, now feeling the awkwardness the position had caused, and crouched. "Mind telling me what proving your title has to do with lounging in the park?" I inquired.

"Oh! Not lounging!" Reminded of his purpose, he got up, brushed himself off, and grinned. He helped me up and took my hand, though keeping care of leading me less energetically. "Since we, you know, won't be able to see you as often..."

We came to a clearing, littered with all the natural things you would regularly see; pebbles of all sizes, discarded bark chips, _grass_, _flowers_... and Edward started collecting such things. I stood off to the side as he brought his spoils to a selected spot and went off again, bringing everything together for whatever he had planned. Once he was done, he beckoned me to come to him with a smile on his face.

"You remember, when we went to the restaurant that one day, and Al used alchemy to repair that napkin?" he asked when I came to his side. I nodded. "He used a transmutation circle, with the salt and pepper." He turned to the ground before him in his kneeling-position, piled with natural material. I saw no such runes. He did not look as if he were going to take out anything to create them.

"But where's your transmutation circle?"

This was where he smiled. I was suddenly reminded to what Dante had explained to me on the day that she assigned my mission.

"_He's an alchemist who can do alchemy without transmutation circles - which normal alchemists must _have. _He's... special."_

At that thought, Edward clapped his hands together in a symmetrical pose, then pressed his palms against the ground. At once, the same electrical charge danced around and I shielded my face from the brightness and heat. I did not know when to look, and Edward did not say anything, even when the heat surge had stopped. All I felt was Edward stepping up to me and putting something over my head, and that's where I peeked. He smiled at me in excitement. "Come on, you can look!" he encouraged.

He stepped back from me, and I did as I was told. A talisman rested quietly on my chest, and I took a hold of it, letting a small gasp escape from my lips. The talisman was... if I had ever seen the most beautiful thing in the world, this would be it. It was made with everything he had used, all mixed up and designed to almost perfection. It was in a small, fine hoop of wood, smooth to the touch, and the wood continued in a complex set of designs; there were two, symmetrical trees that started as roots, then intertwined and exploded into their branches. In some of the spaces provided, there were the pebbles, but they were dyed into different colours, of soft greens and reddish browns, earthly. Lastly, along the hoop were the small flowers he had collected, perfectly petrified and preserved in their beauty. Somehow, they still managed to maintain their life within those petals, nothing fake. The rope that surrounded my neck was made from the vine, and it seemed durable and able withstand any pressure. I looked up at Edward, who was smiling at my bewildered expression.

"Do you... do you like it?" he wondered aloud, seeming bashful. My eyes came back down to the talisman. Was this...

A gift?

My very first?

From_ Edward?_

"Oh, Edward..." I whispered, hardly able to speak. Malice seemed to disappear from myself, and I did not know how to feel. He shuffled a little, then reached for me and grasped my shoulder.

"Urami?"

My body reacted on its own, and I jumped at him, encircling my arms around his neck. He inhaled a short breath in surprise, and he stilled. Being an inch taller than him had no importance here; I fit against his body without a problem. Mind clouded of my purpose, a... _human_ part of me spoke through me in a murmur.

"If I ever had a greater friend, in this life or the last...th-the last of where my memories were... it would be you."

_What in the hell is this?_

The Ouroboros sent a tremor through my bloodstream, as if trying to wake my senses up.

_Remember your purpose, Malice._

Edward's arms enclosed around me and held me, now in response. "Haha, so you like it," he breathed. "I'm glad. It was my pleasure."

_Remember your purpose!_

My eyes closed, my body welcoming the heat that Edward provided me. Regardless if he had metallic limbs, I felt him as a human, something I was not, no matter how much I might have wished I was myself.

_Malice! __Malice!__ This is only supposed to be one-sided, only HE should feel for you!_

He had a very appealing scent, and I, having the hollow of his neck and moving as subtle as possible, rested my head next to his and tilted mine toward his, pressing my nose into his hair. He did not mind, or most likely did not notice...—

_**Goddamn you, cursed girl!!**_

My mind and sin had returned back to normal, and I began to comprehend what I was doing. I had no time to wonder what or who that voice was, speaking with my Ouroboros... it sounded like Dante, but... how was that possible? I slowly moved away from Edward, holding the talisman.

"So that's the power of a State Alchemist..." I said, trying to fill in the gap. My mind was already having its own war of sentimentality issues.

There was something he wanted to tell me — I could see from his expression — but he smiled to hide it. I had no curiosity at the slip of visage. He shrugged with a smile and said, "Yeah. Anyway, I just wanted you to have that, so that you never feel alone."

"Thank you... thank you so much, Edward."

We finally returned to the hospital, not that it took us much time. He held my hand, even through this time there was no need for leading, but I... withstood it. Unfortunately I was a little uncomfortable, since he held my right hand. The Ouroboros was in a fit then, my malice lurking under the surface, almost causing some ripple effect on my features. He walked me up the steps, and at the door, we faced each other. At first, no words came on either side, and I only felt lost. He looked lost himself, seemingly looking for something to say.

"So..." he put shyly.

I smiled. "I'll see you... sometime again."

"Yeah, definitely," he agreed immediately, now looking as if he was scolding himself inside for appearing foolish. I laughed softly. I gave his hand a squeeze, nodding.

"Well, get going to deciphering that cookbook. Good luck!"

"Heh, thanks!" Edward grinned, and as he descended the stairs our intertwined fingers un-knotted themselves, and I soon no longer had his warm touch. H e gave me a wave, then started running down the steps with the same sort of waving. I was surprised he did not trip, and with that wide grin of his he called: "I'll see you soon, Urami!"

I was beginning to feel as if Urami was my real name, the way he called it. It was comforting.

I smiled until he was clearly on his way to the library, and I turned to enter the hospital. So in this venture from the library, I had started with the objective of slipping back into Edward's good books, only to realize that I had never been removed from them at all. I never strayed from his heart. I had a permanent place, and that made things a whole lot easier. Certainly, I may not be trusted enough to be indulged to the information of the Elrics' mother, but that was such a small detail; what did a mother in an entirely other village have to do with her dying son?

_Dying..._

My eyes felt especially moist in the coolness of the hospital, and as I returned to my quarters reserved for my treatments, I ran my gloved index finger under my eye. There, I found water. Tears.

How very curious.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

A/N

Holy poppy on a panda, that took me a while... and I ended it so strangely. XD Haha...

Well then! Over three-thousand words, so that you were occupied for some time. It's something to pay for my long absence... but I'm sure it's going to be the same for next chapter. GAH. No time at all, and with the the time I have, it's used unwisely! -sticks tongue out- Wish me luck with anything I have coming up. If you'd like to follow my life, I have a dA account, and that I consult with everyday XD I'm EnshroudedVixen, so anyone who wishes to hear from me regularly, go there!

Love you~ Vix


	6. Recovery

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

**Special Thanks To**

**Sadisticshadowcat:** Of course I know you're reading~ XD Hmm, maybe I'll end with the special thanks each chapter, now that the Inbox and personal messaging has been enhanced. ;D It'll be easier for everyone, including me, haha. Well I'm still glad that you reviewed this time. :) I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

**Miorochi**:Thanks for reviewing :'D I'm sure we're all wondering what will happen when Urami's exposed. I am, to a certain extent. XDDD we'll just have to see!

**BlueWolves95**: Aha, sorry to keep you waiting ;P Even now my time is being sapped up by ISPs and such, and it's only a week or two after midterm. I'll try to get my ideas down immediately if that'll help with my updates 8D

**KioGoNya**: It's funny how I see FINALLY always emphasized X'D It makes me feel bad for procrastinating, haha. Well YOU'RE WELCOME to your THANK YOUS, — and I must thank you for the review too! — and I hope to get this to ya at a reasonable time :)

**Mayacompany****:** Short but sweet :D I'm glad you think it's awesome! I hope to keep it that way! Thank you for the review~ -heart-

**PurpleViolin:** Just lovely, your review XD I believe our message conversation comes to mind. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support!

and

**GoddessPhoenix3173**: I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter; it was my pleasure to write, haha XD As you wished, here's the next update~

Without further ado, here's Chapter 6!

* * *

Chapter 6

Seemed that fall down the stairs at the park was actually a serious one.

The stitches in my shoulder had loosened and some of my flesh was torn around the wound. I was kinda surprised, since I had thought it would be agonizing; I admit, it hurt severely at the fall, but I was able to ignore it, even forget about it. Perhaps it was because I was with Edward...

Now what significance did that have?

I found that I clutched at the talisman as the doctors closed in on me, and I controlled myself to refrain from any unnecessary slips and actions. I refused any drugs that would knock me unconscious, and they obliged, confusingly. Also, they gave up on making me remove my gloves. I only took them off as I washed my hands, ate or slept in my solitude, once having exercised the right method of keeping my Ouroboros inactive. I was content that they butted out.

I thanked high heaven —if there was one— that Edward didn't come by during the treatments. He had thought that I was almost physically healed, and if he found out that our last venture cost me some pain and blood, he'd get remorseful on me, I reckoned. I did not want to deal with that depressed crap for a long while to come. I did not know why, but I felt as if there was more than that harmless, happy-yet-sentimental child I saw on his features.

I was yet again reminded of what Dante told me.

"_He can be very dangerous when someone opposes him. He can be very... __**malicious**__, when he's angered."_

Edward, though? Perhaps I had yet to see of him, but that sounded ridiculous. I could not believe such a thing as thoroughly as I did the first I heard it.

I lain in the hospital bed, now undisturbed and in the dark. I clutched at my talisman, the sign of my friendship with him. I had thought at one point; _If he gave me this, what am I suppose to give back to him as his 'friend'?_ My gift would never amount to what he had done for me. I sighed, and slowly drifted to sleep.

Though, as much as I did not like it, for some odd reason, 'friend' sounded alien to me. And not in the never-had-a-friend-before sort of way, either.

* * *

"Urami?"

I sat propped up in my hospital bed, bored out of my skull, when Al poked his head around the curtain. I looked up at him and I was ecstatic, to say the least. Ten days had passed since I saw the both of them, and truthfully, I'd rather have _anyone's _company in this dull hospital_. Well, definitely not Envy's_, I thought. I smirked a little as I thought about his broken arm. Al entered our little space and I saw that he was carrying a basket.

"Hey, Alphonse," I smiled as he sat down in the chair beside my bed. "How are the notes coming along?"

He laughed a little. "Well... not so good. We don't have _any_ clue on what the 'truth' is for Marcoh. Brother's very gloomy."

"Oh dear, the poor guy," I chuckled. Al dipped his armoured hand into the basket and retrieved a succulent apple, which he handed to me. I gave him a smile in return, and dug my teeth into the skin, still mentally yearning for some Red Stones. I continued with a small mouthful, "And it's been, what, a little more than a week? And nothing?"

"Nope. It's unbelievable. I suggested to him that maybe we should ask Marcoh himself, but he said that if we did that, it would prove that we weren't worthy of the truth."

I had a sudden urge to say, _"What if the truth isn't what you'd like?"_, but I caught myself. What did a girl that was chased by a homunculus and had 'no memory of her life' have to say about this alchemy matter? That would appear suspicious. Telling them that the sole ingredient of the Philosopher's Stone was human beings was something I thought they had to figure out on their own, if I were to keep myself inconspicuous. Though, I had that strong urge trying to burst up from the surface. It was like keeping a sealed box of oxygen at the bottom of the ocean.

"Oh, he says he's sorry that he couldn't come visit you."

"Who, Ed?"

"Yeah. He seems bummed, and whenever he's totally clueless and drained of motivation, he wants to come here. But, you know... Ross and Brosh — our "escorts" — don't know anything about you, and they'd follow us over here. Brother wouldn't want that."

"Escorts?" I titled my head. "How come I haven't seen them with us? And why do you need them?"

Al had that silence he had when I asked him about their mother, but it did not take him long to answer. Apparently this information was not personal; "Well, remember how we said we went to Resembool a few weeks ago to see Winry? And how we talked about this Ishballan named Scar? Well, we had a little run-in with him, and our lives were on the line... well, Brother was the target, and he thought that he should take the deathblow to let me live."

At this point, Alphonse seemed to swell with annoyance. But that was short-lived as he continued. "Brother's arm was blown to bits and I...I was only slightly injured..." I detected a lie. "Since Brother's arm was essential for alchemy, he was done-for until some officers of the military came along. When Scar ran for it, me and Brother went to Resembool for the creation of his new arm. But they didn't let us go alone; they forced an escort on us, to protect us from further attacks. Scar is still at large. Even with Brother's new arm, they keep us under supervision." He sighed, adjusting his helmet. I still have not seen him under that thing. "With our times together with you, we slipped from Ross and Brosh. But now, cooped up in the Central Library... heh, it's harder than it was before. They didn't follow me because I said I'd get lunch for us. Too bad Brother can't get away with that excuse."

"That _is_ too bad," I agreed, chomping on another section of my apple. It was reduced to its core in not too long. "I kinda miss him too."

"That thing around your neck is what Brother made you, right?"

I held the talisman again and nodded. What I didn't expect was his giggling. "What?" I inquired.

"Nothing, nothing," he waved his hands about. "Just..." Another laugh. I felt my cheeks rise in temperature. I had nothing to be embarrassed about, and yet I was... for getting a gift... of endearment...

"I don't think Edward would appreciate his brother talking behind his back," I managed out, throwing the apple core into a wastebasket across the room and shuffling into my covers. I crossed my arms stiffly, and winced when my shoulder responded with a shot of pain. Al tilted his head.

"Your shoulder still hurts?"

"Nah, it's fine," I said, glad that he did not stay on that _other_ topic. I nodded to the basket. "Come on, it's not all for me. I'm not much of an eater. Take some!"

Al seemed reluctant with it, but took another fruit from the basket. He turned a little, so I could not see his face, lifted up his helmet and dipped his hand inside. Then I heard him utter, "Om nom nom nom,", trying to make me laugh. Or I thought. I heard a thud within his armour, and I had a paranoid feeling that he only made that ridiculous show of chewing to drown out that sound. He laughed and turned to me. "Happy?"

It took me a second to respond, giggling. "Sure, sure. How long you staying?"

"Er, now that you mention it, Ross and Brosh might get suspicious. I think I should head out now with this."

"Okay," I smiled. I added a laugh with it as well, "Tell Ed that I miss him."

"Haha, then he won't feel alone," Al teased, and he stood up. "I'll come visit you tomorrow, okay?"

I nodded and gave him a wave, a gentle smile upon my lips. As soon as Al's metallic footsteps were finally drowned by the sounds of the hospital, I started to stare at the ceiling. Al was adorable, I had to give him that. Wish I had seen his face sometime, but all I had ever seen was his metal exterior. Strange.

I had thought of what he told me today. About their confrontation with this Scar, their visit to their village, and their escorts. It was funny, because I just could not picture them with bodyguards. Why did the both of them have to be protected? Al seemed _macho _enough to stand up for the both of them. Then again, that's when I detected that Al was lying. He had to be _more _than a 'little injured'.

_Whatever, _I shrugged. _It's in the past now. But though it's not important, it's a treat after sitting in this dull hole of a hospital all these days. Wonder what he's got for me tomorrow?_

* * *

Al did not appear.

I waited and waited, and I did not know how long, but I waited. There was no clock for me to torture myself with, but it certainly felt like forever, regardless if the ticking of the clock was absent to tell me so. I considered that maybe they met a breakthrough; perhaps they figured something out and were progressing. I was just wondering if they would hate what they had found... be fearful of it, disgusted of it... would that stop them from searching to succeed in the Stone's creation?

I sat up when my assigned doctor entered my reserved space. He came regularly to check my shoulder's condition. His name, one I never asked for but shone on his nametag, was Dr. Leath. And today was the last time he checked on me, it seemed.

"Hm, a very quick recovery, I must say," he informed curiously. The stitches they put in were removed a day before Al visited. "There's a scar there for now, but not to worry; it'll clear up before the wedding."

"Wedding?!" I jumped up in bewilderment, cheeks reddening. Dr. Leath laughed and patted my shoulder. "What wedding?"

"It's an expression, dear," the elderly man said. He scratched his ivory beard and I could see a small smile. "But by the way you jumped like that, I would think that you had a crush. Haha, not that I have any business in that."

I cringed. Not at him — he was amusing and kept me sane — but at myself. It was that damn human part. I thought that humanity was absent in homunculi?

"Well, as I was saying, there's no need for a young lady like you to be cooped up in here," he stood up, adjusting the instruments in his pockets. "Do you have anywhere else to stay? I would assume that those boys who helped you here have somewhere for you..."

"—Yes," I said after a brief pause. I did not know for sure, but I just wanted to leave from this building. It was just too _white_ for my liking. It was a pity I would not see this doctor though. He had this... sort of grand-fatherly appeal to him. "So I just have to leave now, then?"

"Well, if you don't mind, that is. It's just that, there are many in need of medical care these days... what with the riots in Lior. Now is a pretty bad time, and some immigrants wounded are being transported here."

"Oh, then I'll leave, definitely. Those people need this, not me," I slipped out of my covers and ventured over to my outdoor clothing. Out of sheer instinct, my... _kind_ part came out with courtesy, sincere. "Thank you for looking after me, Dr. Leath."

He laughed softy and stepped out of my space, "It was a pleasure, young lady."

I grimaced to myself when he was out of earshot. Crushes, shyness, _common courtesy_... these were starting to happen more frequently. _Not like the first one's true,_ I hastily thought to myself, slipping my arm into my jacket. _Can't be._

Once I was dressed for the outside, I left with a few words to Dr. Leath, and I descended down the steps into the city. The sun was nearing the horizon, but it wasn't necessarily evening yet. I turned my course to the Central Library, so that I could surprise Edward and Alphonse with my definite recovery. I wondered if they were still in the midst of finding out the truth...

My breath hitched when _I_ was caught by surprise. There... there was Edward up in front of me, ahead. He seemed like he was expecting me. He stood with his hands in his pockets, and a smirk plastered on his face. He was originally in front of an alleyway entrance as the city folk walked past him, and with one last glance at me, he stepped into it. During the movement he had beckoned with his hand, and driven by curiosity, I did.

Once clothed in darkness and far enough in, a fist landed itself harshly against my face. I recoiled from the blow, back to the wall and fists up, yet frozen. What had I done? Edward stood in front of me, shaking his right fist with an expression that did not fit his visage at all. It was taunting, scornful. The fact that his right fist was of steel was proof enough of his presence. He yelled at me;

"So you think you could get away with this, huh? Just who the hell do you think you are?"

What had I done out of line, to be suddenly found out...?

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_ What the duce? O.o Cliffhanger of DOOM!

Sorry. XD I already know what's going on, but I'm sure you're like WHUT? I would be too. Just what is Edward going on about? You'll find out next chapter, teehee~

As for the thank-you's at the beginning of each chapter, I'd like to say that this will be the last for that. Not only will it be easy for my just to start off into the chapter, but with the new inbox/messaging system, I've decided that my messages to all reviewers _are_ my thank-you's. Mind you, I'll still thank you, but not individually. I find that messages work really well.

The expression Dr. Leath was talking about was an expression my mom told me today concerning this massive bug bite I have on my upper arm. I can't write it word-for-word, because it was in Polish, but yeah. She said, "It'll clear up before the wedding." Just thought to add it in. It fit nicely :D

Anywhoozle, I wish you a good day, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time!

~Vix


	7. Chagrin

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

_Thank you for your reviews!! -heart- On with the chapter!_

* * *

Chapter 7

"Well, what's the matter? Cat's got your tongue? Answer me, homunculus!"

I sincerely could not say a word. So suddenly had I been exposed that I did not have any preparation. And I could not believe it, but I felt dread, fear, remorse, and so many other awful emotions. It was sickening, I could not think. Edward closed in on me, and I lowered my fists, something that was considered a bad move in this situation. He punched the wall behind me and beside my head with his automail hand and brought his faces inches from mine.

"I can't believe you!" he hissed. "You lied to me! After we helped you back onto your idiotic feet after Lust got you! This is what I get paid with? My assassin? Give me a break!"

I was still frozen to my spot, regardless if I was going to take some sort of beating. Was this what Dante was talking about? This maliciousness? He had punched me, so that might have just been the beginning. My mission... my mission... I was supposed to kill him at sometime, within his trust. Did that mean if I was found out, I was supposed to kill him immediately? I was not informed on that. Dante did not go into specifics, and I was lost. Truthfully, inside, my malice believed that such an alternative was necessary. But this was Edward... Edward... what was I to do? I was confused, so very confused. The mission was to kill him, and yet, something was holding me back...! I could not attack him where I was; I just could not bring myself to. I was just staring at his angry eyes, his tensing body close.

Then he burst out laughing.

Are you confused yet? I certainly was, more confused than I was with my inner war of sentimentalities. Edward stepped back from me, turned his back on me and settled his hands on his hips. He kicked the dirt beneath his feet as he laughed, and he ran a hand over his face. His shoulders shook as he did so.

"Man, you should have seen the look on your face! Enough to make me piss myself! Aw man, if only I kept my face straight longer."

I knew that voice. It was not Edward's anymore, like it was when he was yelling. My face twisted with rage as I slowly realized what had just occurred. "Asshole!" I seethed, and he turned to me, grinning hatefully.

"N'aw, I was only playing around," he laughed. Under my gaze, the form of Edward started sparking at the bottom of his feet and worked upwards, changing shape until finally concluding with the long tendrils of Envy's dark green hair. This was the first time I had ever seen Envy do such a thing, since the last time I saw him was when I broke his arm and beat him near death. That was the last time I saw him, and now he looked completely untouched. It was not THAT many days ago since I fought him, was it? How could he have healed so quickly? His arm moved around like it was never snapped.

He noticed my puzzled expression. "Red Stones," he said curtly. "Life-savers."

The mere mention of Red Stones sent my stomach churning, yearning for it. "Why are you here, Envy?" I spat. "And don't you ever do that to me again."

"You're not my mother, nitwit. And I've come here from Lior to check on some things. You, Greed, the Elric twerp... things."

Things. I didn't know if he meant that as an insult, but I ignored it. I was a little interested as to the third one I did not expect nearby. Greed? He was in Central? I felt a shiver, now with the knowledge of him being sealed somewhere in this city. It was a mystery where. Envy cracked his neck and sighed.

"You know what? I've realized that we started off on the one foot. I feel _real _bad."

"Do you now?" I questioned sarcastically, brow raised. "I have a hard time believing that, with you having just punched me in the face and tricked me with something so cruel."

"Hey, it's not as bad as you breaking my arm and beating me continuously, when I'm down and choking on my own blood. Okay? A little payback, though not fulfilled completely. You're lucky. Besides, it's in the past... what's a little 'starting over' gonna cost us?" With that, Envy stepped toward me and held a hand out to me. "The name's Envy. What's yours?"

I glared at him, at his hand, then up at his face again. I slipped away from the wall so that my back was to the street, and his lips dragged down into a frown.

"Suit yourself," he muttered. "Here, take these. Lost my appetite."

He reached into his pocket and chucked red substances at me, which bounced off my jacket and littered the ground. I caught their scent, their glistening, scarlet glow, and I fell to my knees in an instant, snatching them up. I did not take the time to inspect them of any grime or dirt; I crunched on them, and my sin rejoiced inside of my being, flaming. The Red Stones slithered down my throat in debris mixed with my saliva, and I was left cross when I could not find anymore. I searched everywhere in the place I sat, and once my senses kicked in, I realized that I was acting like a primitive animal. I felt great shame in such, and came to my feet, my back to Envy. I felt his hand on my shoulder, and I shrugged him off immediately, jumping a few feet to distance myself.

"So, that's your thank-you, huh? Figures," he shrugged himself, then stared at me full-on. "You're still immature, Malice. Not really a full-grown homunculus. Soon you will be, though, and you won't screw up like you're doing now."

"What are you saying? I haven't failed," I retorted triumphantly. "I'm his friend. It didn't take me too long to do so; it was so easy! And I think that he might even have deeper feelings—"

"Ah, that's all good and well, but Dante's told us about _your _side."

My breath died in my throat. So that voice in my head... was it really...? When I could not respond, Envy smirked. "She's told us about your human side, how it's always taking over," he informed inattentively. "That's what we call incompetence. You might be a strong homunculus when it comes to power and skill, but as a sin itself, you suck. You're a homunculus, so start acting like one."

"Well, am I the first one to take on this kind of mission?" I said in defence. "You don't know how it feels—"

"Oh _I _don't, but I'm sure Lust does. She lures men all the time for our purposes. You're just a wannabe."

I did not know what to say. I really, _really _wanted to knock his block off, but I simply turned my back on him. The street was looking very appealing to me now, out in the afternoon sun. It made me want to join the humans out there, as if _I myself _were one. Just in my pondering, Envy chuckled.

"Just ask yourself this, and it might help you to keep your head on until you're given the order to kill the kid. _Why fall in love with a human, when they can __**never **__love a homunculus?"_

That was the last straw; he had danced upon my nerves for too long with his talk. I turned around to attack him and truly leave some damage, but he was gone. It was a dead end a few ways forward, and there were no ladders to have helped him up to the top of the buildings. I shuddered with anger and was in a blind haze for a few moments. The nerve of that bastard! Just because he was high in the homunculus chain did not mean he could treat me like some sort of defenceless, worthless scum! It was unbearable!

In all my inner chaos, my fingers wrapped around the talisman. Once I had realized this feeble instinct searching out comfort, I stiffened my hand — so that all the bones within it stretched back painfully — and forced it down to my side. I took a moment to regain my breathing and my mind.

"I'm not _in love,_" I muttered to myself, then laughed. "I don't even know what that is! So how does he? Just because he's lived longer doesn't mean he's felt it. What I feel... is... is..."

I really wanted to say _favour _or some other kind of word that could explain what I felt. After what I concluded was some sort of brain malfunction, I gave up, let out a big breath, and sighed bitterly.

"...confusion..."

* * *

I could not find the Elric Brothers at the library anymore, and it seemed like they weren't coming back there, or so the librarian told me. She said that the brothers had finished their research. Did that mean that they figured it out...? So what was their reaction, I wondered? The both of them seemed like sensitive boys, so I would think they would not take it kindly... I would not either, if I was a kid of fifteen and human. However, I was not a human, but a homunculus, and I was able to care less about it. I would not have cared if it were human or homunculi being sacrificed, neither would I have cared for the Stone. Pointlessness in collecting a power I was not interested in, regardless if my coven was.

The librarian was not _totally_ useless; she said that the Elrics often stayed at a certain residence whenever they were in Central, and she gave me the address. By the time I got there it was late in the evening, and I was wandering in the main lounge. I did not have a clue as to where to go, or who to ask. I had a reluctant barrier of going up to the desk and asking straight-out.

"What? The Elric Brothers are cooped up in their room?"

Bingo. I jumped a little at the sudden stroke of luck, and I scanned the area. Near the desk, I found two, regular-looking military members, a woman with black hair and a mole near her left eye, and a young man with sandy-blonde hair. I drew dot-to-dot and assumed they were Ross and Brosh. Accompanying them there was a large man in the military uniform, with a bushy moustache and a funny little cowlick to accommodate for his bald head. There was a chain hanging from his pocket, and I recognized it was the same that hung from Edward's pocket watch. State Alchemist.

"Yes, sir. They haven't even eaten today."

"Hrm... well we'll just have to send in some food to their room. Room twenty-seven, yes?"

I detected their nodding, and I smirked to myself and turned on my heel, uninterested in the rest of their conversation. I was right to think that they were depressed. Though I still could not help but hear the rest...

"Maybe they're just tired. They've been working quite hard lately."

"Yes..." Then Ross and Brosh were whispering. Very curious. I turned around before the passage that went to the rooms, and I saw the big State Alchemist take notice of the whisperers.

"What are you two whispering about?" he demanded.

"Oh!" The both of them said simultaneously, waving eagerly. "_Uh..._it's nothing, sir."

In a flash, the State Alchemist had his upper uniform off and was flexing his muscles, and my jaw dropped. Was that a tank or a human?! The muscles pulsated as he growled in his deep voice; "Very suspicious..."

I ran away before I saw anything else as strange as that display. I heard Ross and Brosh scream out in fright, but I found it rather comically and could not resist snorting back a laugh. After that, I made my way down the hall and tried to keep a look out for the bronze lettering of _Twenty-Seven_.

I did find it, eventually. It was on the upper floor, on the right. I was about to knock, but had a sickening feeling in my stomach; something like butterflies beating their wings against my insides. It was uncomfortable, and I did not know if I was a little shy. Envy's taunting got me burning, and I would show that I was not weak and human-like. It was starting to grow, I knew, and I knew that I had to stop it. I knocked a set three knocks.

"We're not hungry," the door grumbled. Or how it sounded; I obviously knew it was Edward, disgruntled. It was cute, I had to admit. I wanted to prolong it a little more and knocked another set. He growled lowly, and I heard him stomp to the door. "Damnit, Brosh, do I have to get out there and knock your block off—?"

He opened the door a smidgen, and he froze when he saw me. His expression was priceless, and I did not know why I had the case of butterflies before. This was amusing. "Hullo," I smiled, head tilt to the side.

His expression stayed surprised, then he smiled; I knew it was not as happy as it could have been. It was happy nonetheless though; he must have really missed me, but the information of the Stone still plagued his mind. "Urami!" he exclaimed with delight, opening the door wider and stepping aside, letting me passage. I noticed that all the lights were off, and we could only see faintly. He closed and locked the door after me as he asked, "How'd you find us?"

"Luckily, we'll leave it at that," I grinned, then turned to Al, who was sitting with his back to a sofa and facing the opposite wall. I moved around the room and crouched near him. "I thought you were coming to go visit me," I teased.

"Oh, hee hee," he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his helmet. Was that some sort of habit or could metal itch? "We got a little... distracted."

"Being cooped up in your room, huh? Fun distraction," I slapped the back of my knuckles on his armour playfully, but I heard hollow. Must be a small or skinny kid in there. "I went to the library and the lady said that you were done. Does that mean that you've cracked it?"

Al made a little noise in his throat, then lowered his head, so that I could not even see into the darkness of his helm. I lowered my head in my squat to feign my concern for a subject I already knew, and I looked over to Edward, who had an ashamed expression upon his face. He turned his back and scratched the back of his neck, letting out a disgruntled sigh. He did not have his red overcoat nor his usual clothing on; he had his black-leather pants and a black shirt with no sleeves, which allowed myself to study his automail arm more freely. It was a little disbelieving that there was a hunk of metal sprouting out of his right shoulder, in the same way that a similar hunk of metal replaced his left leg. I ventured over to him, and touched his shoulder in a timid, gossamer movement. "Was the manuscript just a regular cookbook joke, then?"

"No, no, we figured it out," he breathed, his face turned to face the ceiling. He then turned around, and his eyes were a little touching. They were their golden sunbursts, but they were a little shaded in a melancholy tone, saddened. A small smile touched his lips, and he shifted his eyes downward to the ground. "It was nothing like we'd thought the truth would be..."

I took his right hand, to which he seemed a little aware and perplexed about, and he looked at my face. I coaxed him to spill everything out with my expression and eyes, nodding encouragingly. When I started doubting he would, I gave his hand a squeeze while tucking my Ouroboros-marked right hand in my back pocket, restraining it. Edward soon responded with squeezing my hand back, a reaction I had only half-expected.

He lead me to the couch, and soon both brothers explained. Edward was the one talking mostly, but Al also contributed to the enlightenment. I sat, trying to look horrified at the moments that called for it. If I were a human and was told that people of the military sacrificed human beings for a priceless stone, how would I react? Obviously as a homunculus, I thought of it impassively. They were humans. They lived and they died. Regardless of how, they died; it was inevitable. Here, I recognized that my sin actually was present within myself. Envy had no say of whether or not I did not think like a homunculus, or if I was weak or not.

I just could not help but think of grandfatherly Dr. Leath, though. He was kind. It would be a pity seeing him dead.

I noticed that I pursed my lips at one point, and that point was the moment the brother's had concluded their grim discovery. "That's awful," I whispered, feeling obligated to comment. "I'm sorry that it had to be that way..."

"We are too," Edward chuckled weakly, bestowing me that small, weak smile again, sad eyes threatening to smother me if I was not able to withstand his charm. With his mechanical arm he reached up to the ceiling, fingers spread in all directions. "I'm really tired of this," he mumbled bleakly. "It's like... just when I think that our goal's in reach, it slips right through our fingers. It's happened time and again. And now, when we've finally got it in our hands, the truth slaps us in the face. I guess God really does have it in for us sinners."

Sinners? That was a curious word to link the brothers with. Perhaps they meant about being human weapons, dogs of the military? I did not know whether that counted as a sin or not, but I nodded my head slowly, solemn-looking.

"I wonder... if we're going to stay like this for the rest of our lives..."

Even more curious. Was he talking about his body, how it was maimed in such a way? Was Al maimed in a similar way, when Edward said 'we' and 'our'? So many places where I had been left in the dark, and yet I felt reluctant of asking as of yet. Maybe the answers will come by freely if I wait long enough.

I noticed Edward look at me differently than in his depressed attitude. Perplexity. I in turn got perplexed. "What?"

His hands reached over to my face, and it felt like my heart just dropped into my stomach and I tried to shift away. I did not move fast enough to escape his grip. It did not seem aware of his forward venture.

"What happened?" he demanded, tilting my face to one side. "You've got bruises on your face!"

Damn Envy. I heard Al shift in his sitting position to stare at me, and he came closer for a look and he let out a sound of concern. "I fell on my way here," I lied, quickly and rather thoughtlessly answered. "Well, tripped to be exact. His my face against the wall trying to stay on my feet. More of a solid impact than a scrape across, so that's why it isn't bloody. I'm fine; it doesn't hurt."

I made a fool of myself beforehand the moment I said those words, because Edward tried to touch and inspect the punctured-blood vessel spots with his flesh-hand, and I shied and flinched under his touch. It did hurt, immensely; a whining pain. He was concerned and a little sorry that he caused me discomfort, but he ended up chuckling softly and trying again with his right, metal hand. I was anticipating the pain to be more uncomfortable, since I expected metal to be harder and rougher, but I could not move even if I wanted to.

His hand met my face, and I stiffened, only to pause, then shiver. His hand was so cold, it was so very soothing on the sore spots of my cheek. Alphonse had turned around back into his seating position, most likely now relieved that my bruises were not caused by offensive attack. I reached up to Edward's hand with both of mine and pressed harder against it, closing my eyes.

"This feels so good," I breathed. "Will you be my ice-pack when I need you?"

He laughed, now showing a sign of content. "Anytime," he smiled. I did in turn.

"**Edward and Alphonse! Are you in there?! It is I, open this door!**"

All three of us nearly jumped out of our skins, so much so that Edward fell of the couch with an audible thump. With a groan, he got back on his feet, looking a little panicked.

"Jeez, it's Armstrong!" he hissed, slapping his forehead.

Al hissed back, "What should we do?"

"Ignore him. Just ignore him! The doors locked, so maybe we can pretend we're not here. But wait, he might of heard me... crap!"

"Should I be found here?" I asked, a finger posed pointing at my face. I blinked with a certain obliviousness. Edward looked over at Al, then back at me. "We won't hear the end of it if they find you here," he murmured in thought. "... and maybe they'll make you leave... no, I want you here. But not in sight..." He turned around in the room, scanning the place, and saw a closet. "There!"

I raised my eyebrow. "A closet?" I inquired.

He looked at me apologetically. "Sorry, Urami, but we've got too little time. And I don't want you there out in the dark of the city. You'll bunk in with us when they're all gone," he took my hand, rushed me to the closet and pushed me inside hastily. I turned to face him when he was closing the twin doors, and he poked his face through just for a moment longer. He smiled ruefully. "Not really a way to treat a guest, I know."

"Come back to me alive, you hear?"

He laughed along with me. "Count on it," he agreed. Before he pulled back, I came forward in one fell swoop and pecked him on the cheek. His eyes widened and his breath hitched. I smirked at him and winked.

"That's a promise, right, alchemist?"

His cheeks reddened, then his lips spread in a bashful smile. "Right," he said. He closed the doors quickly when something sounding like splintering wood sounded, and I sat down on the ground in the dark, listening.

"For the love of—! Armstrong, you ripped the door off its hinges?!"

I smiled. I suppose Edward feints anger sometimes to cover up embarrassment. Then my smile dropped a little. My own heart was still beating faster than usually after that stunt. I sincerely hoped Dante would either be non-existent in her connection right now or misunderstand what the heartbeats were throbbing with.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_ And there you have it, people! :D After that cliffhanger of doom last chapter, I went straight into writing this one and came up with this lovely batch of coconuts. *just when I finished writing that impulsive sentence I went on Youtube and looked like song up* See what distractions I've got to deal with? XD I can't help myself sometimes, and it takes my fanfictioning longer, unfortunately.

Anyway, I wish a big congrats to **GoddessPhoenizx3173** and **Mira Hinder **for coming to the conclusion/suspicion that the Edward impostor was Envy. =3 I tried to be subtle, but I guess it was pretty obvious, haha. I also want to thank every single one of you who reviewed, and silent readers, thank you for reading this story nonetheless. Just so you know, though, I enjoy hearing/reading all of your thoughts, so don't feel shy to say something. -heart-

Love you all,

Vixen


	8. Peril

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 8

My butt was getting numb, and I yawned inaudibly in the darkness of the closet.

When the large one, State Alchemist Louise Armstrong, greeted the Elrics with great zeal, passion, and pink stars — last, of course, being a show of imagery —, it was definite that he, too, was told of the secret of the Stone. The two smaller subordinates must have been forced to tell him when I ran from the lobby. They were supposed to keep it a secret, as implied from Edward's gloomy reaction.

I detected a lie when the brothers told their purpose in trying to find the Stone... Brosh, I thought, pointed out that he never knew Edward's arm was artificial. Edward's response was that he lost it in the civil war, but that, too, I knew was a lie. Their purpose remained unknown to me, since Dante left me with nothing but the fact that they were looking for it, but I knew being in the war was not the case. I was a little curious, but I forgot about it in the length of time I had been in that closet. After that, the military members showed sympathy for them, and Armstrong sniffed dramatically. "The truth can be so cruel..."

Through the crack of the twin doors, I saw Edward's face turn grave with revelation.

From then on, he had an epiphany. Supposedly he quoted the man named Marcoh when he said, "The truth that lies within the truth". He insisted that Armstrong bring a map of all the research buildings and see which building Marcoh worked in. This went on way into the evening and night, with hushed voices I could not hear. I finally dozed off when I gave up trying to hear them, and I found myself waking up uncomfortably curled on the ground in lapses. They were still at it when I dozed off the last time. Then came something so thundering that I jerked away and almost kicked out, which would have given away my presence.

"_**Don't even think of it! This is far too dangerous for children like you to go in alone, even if there may be a clue there to regaining your original bodies!"**_

I was too shocked and dizzy from my quick revival to bother listening after Edward responded, "Okay, okay! Sheesh... as if we'd do something that dangerous..."

"We'll wait here for your report, Major," Al reassured. I yawned rather loudly, then barely realized my mistake. Al mimicked me to compensate, and it worked, thankfully, for no one asked questions or grew suspicious.

Armstrong and the other military members left the room, and no sooner after did Edward run quickly to the closet and throw the doors open, sending a whining pain into my eyes. I shielded them from the harsh light I was not used to and rubbed one eye groggily.

"Did you forget about me?" I groaned, half sarcastically and half sincerely. I could not decide which of the two it was; it was truly very late in the night. Edward crouched down to my level and scratched his neck nervously.

"Heh, sorry," he said apologetically. "I'm just so... excited! The truth is so close, I can't believe it! I needed the information all together now."

"And for what?"

He did not answer me at that moment, and just simply helped me up to my feet. He guided me to the couch, where I collapsed right into the cushions. I forced my eyes to keep open to register that Al was not present, but in the washroom. I was alone with Edward in the room, and he sat down beside me. He was silent until he turned to me and bestowed me with those fiery, golden eyes.

"Are you willing to stay here, Urami?"

"Well, I don't have anywhere else to go, exactly. I don't need to return to the hospital anymore," I said truthfully, and bewildered as to why that look he was giving me accompanied that question. My eyes were adjusted to the light now and stared at him full-on. He continued his solid focus. "What are you planning to do?" I pressed. His gaze wavered a little when looking at my eyes. He persisted.

"Will you stay here?"

I looked to the table, draped over with a map that the Major had left. There was a circle around a building that had a large X to signify its inactiveness. I heard Al come back from the washroom and saw that he was busy tying multiple sheets by the corners, making a sort of rope, and he threw one end out the window.

Click.

"Where are you going?" I said immediately. "What's this have to do with the Stone? Why so late at night? Edward—"

"Brother, we have to go," Al interrupted quickly, looking down into the streets. He turned around and dipped his body out, only having the rope as his support. "I think Ross it keeping an eye up front, and she'll come check this side any second."

"You go on ahead. I'll catch up," he ordered, and Al nodded. When the larger of the two dropped from the window, Edward turned to me, and sighed, a smile on his face. He pointed to the map and tapped the circled building. "There's our next lead," he said in a low whisper. "This was a laboratory that Marcoh worked near, and it's situated right beside the State prison. What better materials for the Stone than live criminals on death row? It's closed down now, and it's pretty much crying out "Philosopher's Stone Secret, Hidden here. Find me". Me 'n' Al have _got_ to go."

"And I can't come along, aight?" I pouted. I was pretty neutral as to whether I should go with them or not. 'Whatever floats their boat' was the sort of thing that described my resolve. Edward recoiled from my look, then rubbed his flesh-hand over his eyes.

"Don't torture me like this. Okay? Just please say that you'll stay."

"And if I don't?"

He was quiet for a moment, then let out a burst of air passed his lips in an audible gust. "... I don't know what I'll do," he admitted. "I just... don't want you to be caught up in any trouble, _my _trouble. I don't want you hurting yourself."

That was... touching. He stood up and picked up his red travelling coat, pulling it over his black outfit underneath. Then he picked up his gloves, putting one over his flesh hand and half-way over his metallic hand. I stood up from the couch and stared at him quietly.

"So all I do... is sit here, huh?" I inquired to verify. Was this what housewives did? It certainly felt like it, though I had never been a housewife before. I did not even know why the idea of housewives got into my fricking head. My fingers knotted together in front of me and my eyes lowered to the ground. Something in my mind clicked, and I spilt emotion into simple words; "Will you come back... safe?"

I felt him approach me, and with his automail hand still uncovered, he touched the bruised side of my face, making me shiver. I brought my hands up to pressed the hand more against my flesh, now able to smell the steel and oil that were put into its creation. I looked at Edward in front of me, and he seemed hesitant for a second. What did he want to say? Or do?

It was do, not say. In one fell swoop — not so fast, but not so slowly either —, he leaned in and kissed me. Soft, tender, almost too gossamer to bother fighting off. I was a little surprised, I admitted to myself; the kiss to the cheek last time I spoke with him was a simply teasing, a contract for that playful promise. Had he taken it as an invitation? He pulled away and looked at me, a wide grin on his face and one eye closed. "I'll be back before you even miss me," he chuckled. I could not help but smile at his expression, and let out a short giggle. He released my face and headed for the the window, which he exited with etiquette. He waved to me before he disappeared into the darkness.

I touched my lips softly.

* * *

_He lied, the little worm,_ my malice snarled quietly. My human side simply fidgeted. He did not return as quickly as he implied. What, an hour? From the map I noticed that the laboratories were not far from the hotel I resided in. Also, the building was abandoned, so how long would it take to look at everything? The research must have been destroyed.

I lain on the couch, light dimmed, and trying to catch some decent sleep, but I could not. Something was poking the inside of my skull like a persistent child, and I did not even know for what reason. Something that was trying to remind me of _another_ something... it was rather irritating. Hold on... why did the Brothers go without Armstrong's consent? Al said they would wait for him.

"_Don't even think of it! It's far too dangerous for children like you to go alone—"_

Well, that was enough. Why had not I thought of it? There was danger and they were caught in it. I swung my legs over the side of the couch and sat intently, wondering what I was to do. Go after them? Or will they get out of it themselves?

Naturally, the homunculus inside me could care less. _They got themselves into that mess, so why risk our own skin?_ it _asked. We're sure they'll get out of it. They're alchemists, aren't they? And Edward received his status at the age of fifteen, so what could possibly be keeping him down?_

"Maybe the danger's far more challenging than we know," I whispered, addressing both myself and my malice. What a strange image that would be, speaking to myself as if two persons. "And what was our mission again?"

Truthfully? I sincerely forgot. Dante said... distract him, befriend him, do whatever my soul desired. Even torture. Did that mean that he was meant to be alive until I was given word? I would have thought so, because he played a certain part in our quest for the Stone. If that were the case, then I was to rescue him if necessary; at least know that he's fine on his own.

_Why bother?_ my malice slurred. _Let Envy or Lust do the work. They're here in Central. Certainly they're where he is, to take care of him_.

I could not deny that I was worried of that. I observed the map closely and mentally took note of where it was. The human side of me urged me on, and I turned to the sheets that still hung over the edge of the windowsill. My sin growled lowly to itself as I descended the building. _Weakling... when is your head ever on your shoulders?_

I did not know.

* * *

The building was surrounded by thick walls that were littered with barb wire along the top, and I could never hope to scale them, let alone get to the top. I noticed the barb-wire used as rope at one section, far from the entrance, and I knew that this was the Brothers' entry. Regardless if I had gloves on, they would not protect me from the wire. My only alternative was to unleash my malice on the guard and get in by force.

Around the corner from the entrance where the guard kept watch, armed, I stood with my back to the bricks. I looked at him by revealing a slit of my face, and contemplated the right time to act. My fingers held anticipated at the rim of my Ouroboros-gloved hand, ready to activate it.

Just a brief second before I took a breath and was about to slip my glove off, the guard stood erect and alert, seemingly having just heard something of disturbance. He turned to the interior of the walls, and with gun posed for action, he went inside. I sucked my breath in, then smirked at my luck. I did not hesitate to approach the gate, and I looked inside, seeing him go around yet another corner, this time the main laboratory. I slipped through the bars and made to the opposite corner, not at all up for the idea of remaining behind the guard, for chance that he would turn around. If I went the other way, I could find a hiding spot, or simply retreat in a circular motion around he lab.

I heard the metallic footfalls before I saw their owner, and I immediately thought of Alphonse. I ran along the wall until I got to the corner, and when I looked, I was confused. There was Al, all right, but he was fighting someone else with armour. This one had a really grotesque, eerie helmet, and he was short and plump in a sort of primitive armour. Small, red lights were seen in the dark abyss of its eye-sockets. I wondered where Edward was in all of this, but I could only assume that he was in the building, probably fighting some other challenge. The opponent was wielding a butcher's cleaver, waving away and trying to cut through Al's armour. I felt a sense of adrenaline, one wanting to step out and help him.

Must I continuously explain that this is my human side, and not my true self? Or was that even the case anymore?

"You big jerk! It won't hurt that bad!" the unknown opponent said in frustration, then pulled back his second weapon; a longer knife, and it stabbed Al in between the plates on his arm. My breath hitched, and my muscles twitched. Before I thought to intervene and before Al's opponent struck with the meat cleaver, Al flexed his arm and snapped the knife. After that, he shot forward and hit the other in the face, sending them flying. The helmet went rolling, in the opposite direction than myself, and so the battle was taken farther away from me to hear clearly. I _was_ able to see who was within the armour.

Or who was not.

"You #$%... you made my head fall off..."

Al was just as stunned as I was, I thought. "Your body is..."

"Geh heh heh... there was a little incident..."

And then he started reciting some story that began with "Once upon a time", and "The End", saying that this was a story that wasn't always the case. There was a butcher named Barry, that became Barry the Chopper once realizing his love for cutting up human flesh. What a life! I would have loved to be in his shoes... in the position I was in, I could not lay one finger on anybody to satisfy my yearning for witnessing pain. Perhaps I would take the part as serial killer after my mission was finished.

Barry was supposedly hung, but was actually taken aside and put into armour like a lapdog to guard the place. This was him.

Was it truly possible? To transmit a soul to an armour? I would have to ask Ed about such a thing. Al seemed oblivious to who Barry was, and Barry seemed to have his ego beaten. He ranted at Al that there should be _some_ kind of reaction, regardless if he never heard of him. You never see an empty, talking armour walking around, he said.

Al lifted his helm, and I nearly choked. He was empty too.

I retreated from the corner and forced my back flat against the wall. I felt ill, both my physical feeling and my mentality, and I pressed my hands hard across my mouth. I was engulfed into a haze that brought me back to the first time I had seen Al, how uneasy I was. I remembered that I wondered if the boy inside was even human. Now that I was indulged with the fact that he was not human, I finally felt something negative soil within my human side.

I did not want anything to do with him.

Was this the selfishness of humans? To separate themselves from anything inhumane, or grotesque, even if they were in need of help? It felt like a common reaction, and I could only think that most of the human race thought in this mindset. My malice rejoiced a little; finally, something to scorn of these ugly emotions. _You're better off as a homunculus!_

...No.

I was trembling with disgust from both my inner inquiry of Al's true form and from the natural, human emotion of disregard, but then I stopped altogether. No. Al was human. He had a soul. Somehow imbedded into an armour, he still had a soul, as well as feelings and thoughts. Was that not the definition of being human? By some freak accident, he acquired a body of steel, but that meant nothing to the heart. Malice's rejoice transformed into dismay and fiery contempt. Despite the dark, pathetic and impassive paths humans could take, there were also the good ones.

I wanted to help my friend. Over the time, where I had discovered some hidden endearment for Edward, I discovered that I saw Al as my brother, too.

"You there! Don't move! This place is off-limits!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin, thinking that I was the one found our, but no. I looked around the corner and saw the guard who I had been avoiding posing his gun threateningly at Al and Barry. Barry did not seem phased in the slightest, concentrated more in a conversation that I missed. "Leave immedi—"

Barry disposed of him without a second thought by decapitation. "Shut up."

The blood made my Ouroboros boil. What a delightful shade of scarlet...

"What about me, you ask! That's easy!" Barry appealingly continued his conversation. "Love to chop up the flesh of living people! I love to kill so much I don't know what to do! **I kill, therefore I am!** That's all the proof I need to know that I exist!"

And so they continued to fight. Al seemed to be lagging back, almost as if something was bothering him. Something Barry said must have clicked somewhere... Barry noticed.

"What's the matter, bub? Yer slowing down! Got something on yer mind? Seems like even an artificial soul ain't perfect! The tiniest doubt enters yer big metal head and you have a **breakdown!**"

"Sh... shut up!!" Al seemed unbelievably upset by Barry's words. I stood further around the corner, anticipating the time in which Barry's back wiould give me an opportunity to attack. "I'm not..."

Then they were caught in a parry, and Barry's back was to me at last. I was wondering whether or not to activate my malice, but would that not reveal myself to Al? It was a tricky decision hat I could not decide. My right hand twitched.

"**Just accept it."**

I knew they were haunting Al's mind.

"**You'll feel better that way."**

"Why, you...!"

Barry's free fist shot out from under Al's defence and punched him in the side. Al was reduced to his knees, and Barry's meat cleaver sailed upwards for the last blow. I took my chance at last and ran for Barry's back. I had faith that I did not need Malice for this one. My human side would do just as well to protect Al. My mind was set.

"I've got you now...!—

"Hey! Just who the hell are you?!"

I jumped off both feet and landed upon the middle of his armour's back, crouching. I reached forward in the same momentum and grabbed both massive wrists and pulled them back, to which a normal person would have their shoulder-blades whine. Barry started to dance around, trying to get me off his back or make me release his wrists. I had to admit I had a hard time gripping them; leather gloves holding onto metal and more leather and fur did not help.

"Urami!" Al called, realizing my presence. I briefly looked in his direction, then back to my task.

"Don't let this tin-can manipulate how you feel and think, Al!" I grunted, adjusting my fingers a little... "What's he to say in your situation? He doesn't have a brother like Ed, and you're good-hearted, unlike this moron. I don't believe that Edward would ever make you as artificial. I see you as a human!

"_Now finish him!"_

"Stupid bitch! Get off of me!"

Barry managed to pull his arms forward — now looking as if to be crucified any second — and he rammed his back into the wall, crushing my body. I gasped audibly as the metal dug into my abdomen, stealing my breath from my lungs, and I crashed to the ground. He stepped from me and turned to face me, and I, regardless if I was breathless, got to my feet as fast as I could and retreated sideways. I resulted in having to roll out of the way, as he was intent to chopping my limbs from my body.

"What's a little girl like you have in this?" he said snidely. "You don't know anything about what's going on! Neither do I meself, but moreso than you! Alchemists are just as cold-blooded as I am. They'd never hesitate to create fakes like _him_" — he pointed to Al, who seemed out of it on his knees —"for their entertainment. But I guess that doesn't matter to you; you won't need it where yer going!"

Another swipe narrowly evaded. I went to Al's side, facing Barry, and I nudged him. "Hurry, Al, he's coming!" I panted. "Don't listen to him."

But that was too late a request. Barry's laughter reached my ears, and I held up my arms over my head in reflex, little good would that do me. I heard the knife whistle through the air, but then I heard bullet-shots, and soon the cleaver was imbedded into the ground uselessly. I took my arms away and investigated that Barry's hand was shot through; mere holes sizzled in his glove. He looked at it quizzically. "What the—?!"

"Don't move!!"

I looked ahead of Barry and saw the two military officers, Brosh and Ross. They held their guns up and Ross called authoritively; "Next time I'll aim for your head. Now, be quiet and hand over the big guy to us."

They seemed confused as to why I was there, but that was not important as of now. Barry glared at them, then he sighed in frustration. "Eh, what a pain...—

"Hm?"

The ground shook, and I stepped one foot back to keep my balance. My eyes strayed to Laboratory 5, sensing the rumbling from within. The old rock and cement crumbled away subtly, then suddenly a huge thunder erupted and the stone flew in one section. It came raining down upon us, and I held my arms over my head again, shielded slightly by the bombarding stone.

"An explosion!" Ross shouted. " Sergeant!! We have to evacuate!"

Al finally stood up, and when I looked at him, he was tensed and an air of anxiety was about him. Ross noticed and yelled at him, "What are you doing! Run!"

"**My brother!! **My brother's still inside!"

I had briefly wondered where Edward was once seeing Barry and Al fight, and I concluded that he was inside. Now that the building was exploding from the inside out, I finally realized the true peril. I looked to the building, eyes wide. He was somewhere inside, while explosives were coming alive and freely setting flame to their content...

_Edward, don't die._

_Not yet._

_Please._

I clutched my head to silence the voice of my past self. Why could not the human that I was transmuted from have been a self-centred wench?! I would have preferred that than this reasoning and weak affection.

...so I was a good person, before I...

...I finally remembered something...

"My brother! My brother is...!"

"Don't be a fool!! If you go in there, you'll be crushed, too! Right now, think of saving yourself!" Ross snapped at him. I stood by, having inner conflict. _He better not be...!_

"Hello there."

I froze, like I supposed everyone else did, and we peered into the dust and debris of the building. A figure emerged, and it was Envy... carrying Edward upon his shoulder. He grinned, "I came to deliver a **package.**"

He dropped Edward abruptly at Ross's feet, and she crouched to support him. Envy stood up straight and informed us, "His wounds aren't that bad, but he's losing a lot of blood, so you'd better get him to a hospital, quick."

He sighed, and glanced at me especially as he finished; "You guys should take better care of the little guy. He's quite talented, you know. _We_ can't afford to lose him." He smirked the most unnoticeable of smirks, and I turned my head away, disgusted. That little shit, mocking me...! He was blaming _me_ with those words!

Brosh came, reporting that the one code-named 66 retreated, and the moment their focus had strayed from Envy, he made his leave quietly. As everyone retreated, I tagged along, seeing no use in remaining in a crumbling heap of stone. The last of the explosions claimed the area and at last, Laboratory 5 was no more.

I heard noises. Cries, of some sort. Growling, hissing. I turned around at the noises, and I vaguely acknowledged that I was the only one that had heard. I saw shadows retreating from the ruins, all upright like humans. Why would creatures that looked like humans emit animalistic sounds? Then there was one that stood out, the one that lead them... I felt a familiarity, something that I could sense through the air. I did not know what...

I turned on my heel and followed Al, unconscious Edward and the military officers.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_

Phew. Ten pages. GWAH. I had to look back and forth between my manga to make the plot seem accurate in these events, it's so tiring! I know it's necessary for now (I wanted some familiarity, you know?), but I'm not one for dictating and staying on task at the same time. )X I can't wait 'till I careen the story to my own, to what I've got in store. That'll probably be in two-three chapters. ;)

Well this is the weekend before the rest of my exams! So don't expect much this coming week, okay? My apologies... XD Hopefully I get some inspirations for next chapter, though. And I hope I write a lot before my trip to Poland too! I won't be on the comp much in that period of time :P

Anyway, hope you enjoyed that!

~Vix


	9. Shatter

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 9

Edward ended up fine. I felt like a fool after all the worry I was _graced_ to have felt.

And the first thing he thought about was how close he was to the 'truth'. He was a persistent boy. At the time, I was listening through the door, and then suddenly I heard the two military officials, Brosh and Ross, shout something about "forgiving them for what they were about to do". Some silence ensued, and then there was a very loud slapping noise. I smirked to myself and could not help chuckling as little. Edward was being reprimanded, so I left the door to leave him with it.

After Laboratory 5 exploded, Brosh and Ross interrogated me to state who I was and what I was doing there. I told them the truth; I was a friend of Edward and Alphonse. I did not mention that I had... something _more _with Edward, because I was just too confused. Brosh had this sort of funny smile, saying something about being nostalgic of his own childhood, and I wrinkled my nose. I did not want _pointers_...

They seemed a little hesitant with me being in a private clinic. They insisted that if I was hurt, then I should go to the regular, military hospital. I was not hurt, however; though involved with the fight with Barry —Number 66 —, all he did was knock the breath out of me. They seemed surprised, and so they left me alone. Edward was not aware of my presence in the clinic, I thought; unless Ross or Brosh mentioned it. I would rather it be a surprise. Alphonse knew I was there, but he had been disappearing many times, and I had been forced to stay by my lonesome.

The next day, I wandered down the halls, passing by many of the doors that sheltered many patients and doctors. I was a little disappointed I was not to see Dr. Leath behind these walls. When I came by a hallway and was just about to continue on, light reflected in the corner of my eye, catching my attention. I found that that hallway was lined with sinks and mirrors, and did not really lead anywhere. It was a dark section of the clinic and I did not notice him as fast as I would have in the light. He sat solitary on the bench, gazing into nothing in particular, and he did not notice me. I turned on my heel, approached him, then stopped by his hulking figure. His head tilted upwards, then he looked at me. I smiled.

"Why in the dark, Alphonse?" I questioned. "You've been away so long, I was beginning to worry."

He said nothing, and turned back to staring at the opposite wall. I was no doubt a little troubled that he did not respond, but I was not going to back down. I took a seat beside him on the right, taking my time. I knew that sometimes, just being there was better than words. If he wanted to speak, he would speak. And that he did.

"You know now, huh."

That he was hollow. I knocked my left knuckle against his side, where his ribs would be if he were whole. "It was a surprise, I have to say," I smiled ruefully. "I was wondering why you never took that helmet off to show me your face. I thought at one point to take it off by force, to see if you were more handsome than your brother," I added with a tease.

He let out a short, soft laugh. "Sorry we kept that from you." Then continued to remain quiet. I turned my face to stare forward, like he was.

"...so... how does it work?"

"What?"

"You and that armour," I said, then turned to look at him again. "How are you connected?"

He paused, then his hands slowly rose to his helmet. He hesitated, gloved fingers on the smooth surface, then he lifted the helm and faced me. It still gave me an inner start, seeing nothing within that suit of armour. No face. Instead there was nothingness. Whereas the perplexity stayed within, curiosity played upon my features, and I boosted myself on my seat with my legs to try and match his height when seated. He began to speak; "My brother, after we... got into a huge accident, where I lost...— couldn't use my body anymore, and Ed lost his leg...—and arm—"

Al was stumbling. Was he twisting the truth? For what purpose? If it was to make it easier on me, he had the wrong assumption. At least I detected that this story was _similar_ to the truth, so I could just ask Edward sometime, when he was healed. Alphonse continued.

"—he sealed my soul with a bloodseal. Right here, with his own blood."

So the reason why he lifted his helm was to show me his centre, his connection with this world. Since it was hard to see in this light, I screwed up my eyes to find the outlining. Soon, I did, and I marvelled at the circular spell written with blood.

"And that's how I work. As long as I have this seal, I'll live in this body."

I reached my hand out, planning to touch the seal, but his breath hitched and he recoiled. This told me that it was delicate, so I took my hand away. "That's incredible..."

Al was silent, and he put his helmet back on and returned to facing the wall opposite from us. Then he sighed. "Yeah... but worth it...?"

"Hm?"

Another hesitant pause. "Ever since we've got back, I've been thinking about what Barry said..."

"Oh, that crap," I said, rolling my eyes. "You gonna let a lunatic dictate you?"

"But what if I **AM** fake?" Alphonse retorted suddenly, in catharsis. His hands trembled, making his plates rattle. "What if Brother's not really "Brother"? I don't feel like I have a soul, so how do I know?"

I sincerely felt like they were brothers, regardless if I did not know them before I met them, regardless if I had never seen Alphonse's former self. There was something there between the two of them that pronounced that, and I would never believe that to be Edward's scheming... Lastly, what Al said last made my mind puzzle upon itself, and I felt sad.

"...I really don't know what to say to that," I said. I sighed, and said remorsefully; "Sometimes... I don't even feel like there's a soul in me."

I sensed surprise in Alphonse beside me. _He doesn't even know the half of it,_ I thought bitterly.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. Makes me wonder why I'm here, or if I even belong here. You think that Edward made up your memories? At least you HAVE memories. I hardly know anything other than my own name."

Al turned away for a moment, absorbing what I said. I looked up at the ceiling, then ran my tongue over my teeth in contemplation.

"But... you know what? I think I have an understanding of what a soul might be..."

He remained silent to listen, and I took a breath.

"Do you know what makes us different from the beasts? We may share instinct, but we have genuine thoughts, feelings, and free will. People can think what they want, but talking, helping and interacting with everyone else is something special that makes _us_ special. Being human means you have a soul. And you... I sense you as human, and I see you as human, so why _wouldn't _you have a soul?"

Al continued to say nothing, and I looked at him. When nothing further came to the air, I stood up, planning to leave him alone. I added as an after-note before I left him to think...

"Just think. Edward... if he was just some bastard that had just lost both his arm and leg, he would have left you behind. Would an impostor risk their life on the line for a simple toy?"

And I left.

* * *

I knew Alphonse was still not convinced. I knew I was not the best example; I was a homunculus, and I, too, had been told I did not have a soul.

When I returned to Edward's door, I did not hear that much on the other side. I smirked, and knocked on the door. I wondered if Edward would be as surprised as I thought. My smirk died on my lips, however, when some girl dressed in casual clothing answered the door. Her light, fair hair was let to flow down to her mid-back, and her deep-blue eyes studied me curiously. I craned my head back to look at the number above the door. Had I mistaken...?

"Who might you be?" she asked me, hips tipped to one side. I brought my focus back and scratched my cheek bashfully.

"I'm Urami," I said simply, adding a short laugh. "But I guess I've got the wrong door. I'm looking for Edward Elric's room."

"Urami?"

I felt like a fool when he called my name. This _was_ his room. I must have left the first impression of a ditzy, stupid girl in front of this new arrival. I poked my head in, with my cheeks heavily blushed, and saw his expression of surprise, that soon turned to one of great joy. I did not know why, but that expression helped erase my uncomfortable feeling.

"Yo," I smiled. The new girl stepped back to let me inside, but her eyes still held something that pronounced her suspicion of me. They were dodgy, untrusting. Edward, from his bed, laughed quietly.

"Okay, I have to introduce the both of you," he began. He addressed me first; "Urami, this is Winry Rockbell, the girl I've been telling you about. She's my mechanic and friend since we were little."

So this was Winry. My, did they look oh-so-cute together. Very fitting. Winry blinked repeatedly, trying to absorb the fact that Edward talked about her to me. She was easy for me to read, thankfully; from what I deducted, I saw that she saw it as a good thing, something flattering. That was a good sign, at least... not a bad start.

"And this, Winry, is Urami. She's a friend of ours. She's developed amnesia, and Al 'n' I've been trying to help her remember things."

I bowed my head in greeting, and she repeated my gesture. "Very nice to meet you," she said shyly.

"And I you," I returned, smiling sweetly. My face was accustomed to smiling like this now, but even sometimes, it felt fake to me. "Meeting you at last, after all the good things Edward's said about you, is really a pleasure."

Winry smiled, then glanced at Edward and walked toward him. "I didn't know you had the heart," she teased, punching him in the shoulder.

"Ow, ow! I'm injured, you know that?!" he pouted. "You are **so **not cute!"

"And you know it!!" she grinned. "Come on, I need to get that automail working properly, after you trashed your arm up... I _told_ you not to put so much pressure on it!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know! I forgot..."

Ha, save it for the judge..."

"And that judge would be...?"

"My screwdriver!"

"Ack!"

I laughed quietly at their bickering, then started laughing my head off when they started arguing over a glass of milk. Man, did Edward _hate_ it. I never tasted it before, so I had no say in this argument. Winry interjected that he would stay short forever if he refused nutrients, and this caused him to have a fit. My laughing did not have even the slightest power to interrupt their bickering.

Soon it came to an end, however, and Winry started working on Edward's arm at last. I sat at the bench at the other end of the room, feeling a little like an outsider. There they were, the two of them... I truly did think that they were meant for each other. Though Edward showed no interest — his only response for her was annoyance —, I could see it.

I stared down at my gloved hands, and I drew the sign of the Ouroboros with my eyes on my right hand. I could feel it shape, regardless if it was just a tattoo. It was the sign of my fake self, my untimely existence. I was on a mission to kill the Fullmetal Alchemist; that was my only purpose. I could not love him. I had to kill him.

But, no matter how hard I tried, I cared for him. I could not deny it anymore. He burrowed too deeply under my skin, and to tear him off would be the most painful thing in my worthless existence. That was why I thought Winry more fitting for him than I. She meant him no harm... She was capable to do a lot more things than me. Edward had a girl there, that would take care of him, worry about him, love him. And most of all... she was human, just like him. If I stayed away from Edward, then his happiness would be untouched. He did not need me. I wish I could erase that kiss from having ever happening. It was small, hardly worthy of being considered a passionate covenant. No complications. They... should be one.

And yet, I felt selfish, envying her so...

"...And you, Urami?"

I focussed back to reality and tuned in to their conversation. "What?"

"What do you think is biting Al?" Edward seemingly repeated. He took a breath, then said, "He's been acting kind of strange lately. He hardly talks anymore, seems like he's lost in his thoughts. What do you think?"

I did not know whether to tell the truth or lie. It was not my business, really, and if I said one way or the other, some betrayal might arise from either brothers. I took a moment, then sighed.

"Yeah, he does have a lot on his mind."

"Do you have any idea what?"

"Just give him time, okay?" He looked over his shoulder at me, aware that I avoided his question. I gave him a remorseful look, perching my fingers across my upper lip with contemplation. "He just needs... to be alone, that's all. Give him time."

Winry was very focussed in her work, and at last, she stood up, stretching. "Okay! The repairs are complete!"

"Yes! Good as new! Right on!" Edward said enthusiastically, to lighten the mood. I smiled lightly, then returned back to my thoughts.

Winry left, supposedly going to visit Maes Hughes' wife and child, whoever they were. She was excited on seeing Elicia, who was supposed to be a very cute girl. When she left, Edward and I were left alone in the room.

I only came back to reality once more when he seated himself beside me.

"She's very nice," I said to start things off, smiling and resting my hands on my knees. "So nice to have travelled from Resembool to see to your automail."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Resembool is pretty far from here. I'll take you there someday."

"You think we'll stay together for that long?"

"Hm?"

I shook my head, smiling softly. He does not need to think about such things. _Leave all the thinking to me._ A certain thought came to mind, and I could not help but giggle. "Hey, this is a reflection of how we first met."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," I smiled. "I was hospitalized, and you came to visit me. Now, _you're_ hospitalized, and I'm visiting you. Is this really how we're going to model our friendship?"

He laughed with me. He held his side, where one of his severe wounds were. It must have hurt to laugh. "I hope not," he said, grinning. "I don't want us to get hurt. Especially not you."

"Well, if you didn't go to that laboratory by yourself, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. And hey, when I went over there, I didn't get as bashed as you."

He did not laugh with me this time. After I finished my chuckling, he gazed at me intensely. "You went to Laboratory 5?!" he demanded. "Why?! You could have been killed!"

"Now really, are you in_ any_ position to scold _me?_" I responded cooly, turning my torso somewhat away from him. "I think that, when I'm worried, I'm entitled to act."

"But... but the reason that I left you behind was so you wouldn't get hurt!" he protested angrily. He pressed his hand against his side once more, and he grimaced in pain. "You promised...!"

"Actually, I didn't," I pointed out. I turned to him and held up a finger in a matter-of-factly way, face solemn. If he wanted to play stubborn, then so would I. "You asked if I'd stay. I responded, _And if I don't?_, and you said, _I don't want to see you get hurt,_ or something like that. It was sweet, don't worry. After that, I didn't specifically say I'd stay. All I asked was if you'd come back safe. You implied that you _would. But you didn't!__ Look at you!_ Now **you** could have died. And when you implied that, you said, _I'll be back before you even miss me_. Guess what? I missed you, so you lied to me."

He recoiled, eyes blinking in surprise, and I crossed my arms, waiting with whatever comeback he had. Then I realized something; that was the first true confession I had ever done with Edward. Was this the last?

"...you... really missed me?" he questioned, bending over so his elbows rested on his knees, his hands folded. "You really worried?"

"Is this such a surprise to you?" I sighed. The vision of Winry and Edward together. I grew bitter... "Winry worries and cares about you all the time, so what's the difference between herself and I? Maybe you should ask her that question."

Edward grew silent in his contemplation, and I mentally closed myself off. My own turmoil within was too confusing for me to bear. My thoughts were jumbled; my mission, my feelings, my purpose, my existence. I was to kill him. I did not think I was capable... either I wanted him, desired him as my own, or I wanted him to live a life with the girl more fitting, away from the destruction of my purpose. I was... torn.

His automail hand reached over and settled over my hand, breaking my thoughts.

"That's a whole different topic altogether," he said slowly. I sensed a small smile on his lips. "I'm grateful that Winry cares and worries. Truly. But with you, worrying about me, and missing me... thank you. It makes me... very happy."

I kept my gaze down, grey eyes immobile. What was the point of creating his happiness when I would crush it later? His hand then slipped into mine and interlocked our fingers.

"I know that we've only known each other for a short time, but... I really like you, Urami. I really do."

I looked at him, realizing he was smothering me with those golden eyes. I closed mine in an attempt to dull the effect. "But how can you?" I demanded softly. "To love, you have to know one like the back of your hand. If _I _don't even know who I am, how is it that you do?"

"I just... have this feeling. There is something about you that I feel I could never, ever live without. As for your memories, I'll help you. You, Al and I; we'll find them together."

I smiled ruefully. I wondered how he would take it, when the time came, and I was ordered to kill him. Even worse, how would he take it when he found out I was a homunculus? Would he be able to quickly turn and discard his love? I laughed. Something inside me cracked.

"Now, how did we get to this, when we were arguing about that night?"

He laughed too, squeezing my hand. "I don't know," he admitted, settling closer beside me. "I just thought it was an appropriate time." I shook my head, resting my head on his metallic shoulder, which was not as uncomfortable as one might have thought. My eyes went especially moist, and my lungs felt compressed by some sort of... heart-wrenching emotion.

"Are all you State Alchemists so stupid...?" I choked.

He rested his cheek against the top of my hair, chuckling softly. "Sometimes."

"Don't laugh!" I snapped, grabbing his hospital shirt's front with my right hand and burying my face so he would not see. My Ouroboros did not even so much as tingle; my sin disappeared again, just as it had when I received Edward's gift. My human side cried out. "If-If I love you..." his chest refrained from moving, breathless, intent to hear what I was to say. How was he so stupid to have fallen in love with me?! A homunculus?! "If I say that, will you stop making me worry?! It drives me insane! I don't want to fall in love with a stupid State Alchemist who doesn't care if he's diving headfirst into danger...!"

His other arm came around my shoulders and brought me close. My right hand went to my talisman, ignoring whatever Envy said to me. He did not matter; Edward did. And I cried.

I loved him so much. If I were human, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. If I were human...! Why, of why, was I reborn? Into a monster; not all beings turned to monsters were capable of _being_ monsters. And I had no soul to be loved. My talk with Alphonse came back to me. I had no doubt of him; I knew that he had a soul. But me? What proof did I have? These feelings? These were just poor imitations of when I actually had a soul, actually had a heart that defined me as a person. I was told I had no soul, told by Lust, told by Dante, and they were more experienced than I was. Were they wrong? If I was left alone, dead from whatever that killed me in my human life, then I would have never met Edward, and that I was willing to have so, if it meant I had nothing to do with his unhappiness.

"I love you, Urami," he whispered, nuzzling my neck. My eyes strained and threatened to shed more tears.

"What if th-things aren't what they seem?" I cried. "What if I'm n-nothing of what you want... wanted...?"

"I believe in you. I love you, Urami."

He repeated it, with much more sincerity than the first and more than was necessary. _That's not even my name!!_ I shouted at myself, broken. _Not even my name...! Urami is just..._

"Edward...!" I sobbed. "Why me? Why did you choose me...?"

"I didn't think you'd cry," he said softly. "Sometimes, I think love doesn't have to be explained. That's something Alchemy can't touch."

I squeezed my eyes shut, and I only took Edward's body in as my world; both cold and warm, still and breathing, metal and flesh. In the beginning, I only thought Dante's word was truth. She could toy with the hearts of others as much as she liked, but I... being the sin of Malice, it was my duty to hurt, but I...

"I love you, Edward," I moaned. He brought his left hand up and lifted my face up, to which I opened my eyes, still strained. He gave me an awkward smile.

"Well then, I guess I'll have to be more careful not to get hospitalized ever again." He then rested his forehead on mine, wiping my tears from under my eyes. "I won't bring you any grief. Not anymore."

I laughed breathlessly. He knew nothing. Simply worrying about him was not my problem. Little did he want, I would grieve regardless. He looked down to my lips, then he kissed me softly. Now, my second kiss, with the boy I was to...

_Malice_, Dante sighed. _You are just as inexperienced as I feared..._

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_

Dear of dear, that was touching T.T I feel as if the chapter's a little jumbled, but if I wanted everything to have concluded well, I'd be going over ten pages, and I'd like to keep it at a reasonable length for all of you. :3 More manga references, for the familiarity of it all. I just want Urami to have a better spot in the plot, whether I put her in the original plot's plot holes or twist things a little. Don't worry; next chapter, you'll have some new material, and then after that, I'm free to go on with her story.

Hope you liked it! Please don't hesitate with your critique! Love you all~

~Vixen


	10. Memory

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 10

Edward suggested for me to go to town to eat something good for lunch the next day. I protested, since I did not want to leave him behind, but he insisted. And, well, I went. Reason I caved in so easily was because then, with my sin back, I was in a true predicament.

I heard Dante's voice. It was still burnt into my mind; _Malice, you are just as inexperienced as I feared._ Having saying that, what will happen now? Did that mean... I was discharged? Was I free of the mission, or was I deemed a traitor, and my executioner was on their way? It was a troubling thought. I selfishly wanted Edward all to myself, and yet, for what purpose? If I die, then I will lose Edward, the alternative I threw everything else away for the moment I showed him affection. I wanted to give him happiness, in return for the happiness he gave my cursed existence. If I killed him, that would just end his happiness, and if _I_ died, his happiness would crumble to unhappiness, if he truly loved me. Well, if he found out I was a homunculus, maybe the blow would not be severe.

I didn't go eat in the end. I only walked around Central for a little while, then ended up at the clinic, venturing up to the roof. It was vacant of anyone and anything, and I felt a little relieved; even near a single person was not my definition of solitude. I approached the railing, leaned on it, and sighed.

I had been repeating myself for too long. I had to come to a decision, and soon. I was beginning to abandon the notion of killing him. Dante was wrong. Love was a wonderful thing. Or what I felt, if it was an imitation of love. If this emotion was a sign of commitment, then I would have to reveal myself to him. Tell him everything. But... that was what I was afraid of all along.

_If only I can change bodies with Winry,_ I thought, absent-minded. Telling him that I was a homunculus was simply too hard. Not to mention, it was unnatural. Had there ever been another case, where a human married and spawned with an _artificial_ human? I did not believe we had the capability. A dead carcass such as I could not bear children. And if I could, what kind of demons would I provide?

Wait. That was too far. I shook my head to clear it of such fantasies. We would never get married. The thing I need to be more focussed on now was the present. I needed to—

The door that I used to get up here opened, and I nearly jumped to the point I could have dipped headfirst over the railing. I turned around and saw Edward. Why was it, whenever I thought of him, he would suddenly appear? He looked as if he did not expect me up there, but he walked up regardless, with a solemn look on his face. He joined me at the railing, but did not seem intent on speaking. I waited patiently by his side until he was.

"Al... told me what was on his mind."

I lowered my head, acknowledging it. "How did he deliver it? What were his thoughts?"

"He thought that I created his soul and artificially constructed his memories for my liking."

_So he did not take my advice,_ I thought solemnly. _...I can't blame him. _Since he said this, I knew he was aware of my knowledge of Alphonse's hollow body.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I should have told you beforehand of his thoughts. I think I only made matters worse when I tried to comfort him."

"No, it's okay," Edward said, smiling at me softly. "It was my fault, too. I told him before that I wanted to tell him something I was too afraid to, and he thought that _that_ was the big secret."

"What was it, then?" I questioned, coaxing gently. He looked at me, then glided the fingers of his left hand across my cheek.

"Well, I can't keep anything from you anymore," he said, determined. "I'll tell you everything, in time. But the thing that I was too afraid to ask him, was... whether or not he blamed me for what happened to him."

I blinked. "Why would he?" I said. "You saved him! In the accident, you could have easily turned your back on him. But you didn't."

"Al can't sleep, can't eat... he can't even feel pain, or cry, Urami," he sighed. "That's practically the humane luxuries we have, whether they're good or bad. They're some things that define us as people, too. That's why I have to get him back to normal as soon as possible..."

I placed my hand on his shoulder, caressing him and trying to comfort. My eyes strayed back to the stairway, and there I saw Al in the darkness, seeming like he was waiting. Edward then seemed aware, but he did not do anything to show it. I smiled a little.

"Well, I'm sure he'll come to realize it soon," I whispered. "Brother's quarrels are best resolved by said brothers."

He smiled softly too, and I patted his shoulder again before I left for the staircase. I approached Al, then passed him, giving him a pat as well. He silently accepted it, and approached his brother. I watched him go, and planned to go down the stairs, and was startled to see Winry there, too. She blinked at me, and I felt awkwardly lost on what to say. She was the first to breaking it, sighing to herself and scratching the back of her head.

"Those boys are such idiots."

I laughed softly at the sudden comment, and I let her come up and stand by me. We watched from afar on what Edward and Alphonse had in mind of making up... but I was surprised that they decided to beat the living hell out of each other. You proved you point well, I told Winry, and she smiled. She then began speaking to me more comfortably.

"Those boys are stubborn... have you noticed that?" I nodded. "Seeing Edward hospitalized and the arm I recently made for him in bad shape, it makes me wonder what kind of lives they lead. But they never tell me anything about it. They didn't even tell me when they decided to leave town. But then, Mr. Hughes told me a long time ago... that men express themselves through actions more than words. They'll take on pain on their own, so that people like you or me don't worry. But when the time is right, and they do tell us, we'll be there for them. Right?"

How she used 'us', 'you and me', and just plain 'we', I could not help but feel accepted... and that was a wonderful feeling. She held out her hand, and I grasped it firmly. My sin was getting weaker and weaker by the more humane experiences I take part in.

The Brothers' quarrel ended, and there, they promised to get stronger together. So it was resolved, and Al knew for a fact that he was real. Winry laughed softly.

"I guess there are some things that you have to say out loud to understand."

Seeing the scene of them before me, I smiled. I was lucky to meet all of them, I realized. They were nice people.

Lucky, but unlucky at the same time.

* * *

"Urami? You look like you've just seen a ghost... you're paler than you usually are!" Winry nudged me. I was frozen, had the most terrifying, anxious feeling. Winry and I were at another part of the clinic, waiting until Edward finished discussing important issues, most likely about Laboratory 5. We had been talking casually about things I'd forgotten now, after what had just appeared.

There was Pride.

He was walking down the hallway we were currently residing in, a content look on his face. As he passed, he turned his head and acknowledged Winry and I in a gentlemanly manner; a soft smile, uncovered eye pleasantly crinkled. But I knew, under that eye-patch, he fixed his Ultimate Eye on my form. The feeling made my skin crawl and develop goose-flesh, and I felt vulnerable. He moved on down the hallway, arms folded behind his back, my gaze following him until he was out of sight.

"I-I'm fine," I said, after realizing Winry's nudging. I gave my head a good shake, but I felt sick. "I just don't feel well all of a sudden. I have to go to the washroom."

Winry, and she accompanied to the restroom. I didn't intend her to follow, but either way, I would have felt ill anyway. Once there, I approached one of the sinks, turned on the cold tap, and splashed the chilly water over my face. My teeth chattered in response to the contact a moment, then I gave another rinse, used to the cold. After that, I rested both hands on the counter and just savoured the moment, easing the pain in my stomach. It wouldn't go away so easily... Winry suddenly came up to me and put her hand on my back. At contact, I sort of recoiled from her. Her hand was left mid-air as she considered what happened.

"Did something scare you, Urami?" she asked, brows knitted upward worriedly. I regarded her for a few moments, looking for words to say. Should I say? It would sound strange. And I already said I just felt sick. But to explain my behaviour just now, that required some truth.

"N-No," I sighed, turning to the mirror. I'd realized that I, indeed, was a tad paler than I usually was. "I'm just... not used to nor like people touching me." _Except Edward, it seems,_ I mentally added.

"Oh..." she trailed off, dropping her hand, embarrassed. "Do you think it has something to do with your old life?"

I had not thought that much; I preoccupied my thoughts so much on Edward and every problem that surrounded him and I, that I had never considered my lost memories. Certainly, this trait might have been an attribute from who I was before, but was that really important? Knowing who I was before?

Knowing who I am now?

I realized those were two of the same here. I didn't know who I was. It never bothered me before, never even crossed my mind! Why now, of all times? Was it because I finally started thinking individually from the other homunculi, of what they expected of me? I felt less and less of a homunculus everyday. I was losing that identity, so I was in dire search of another. My own. The one I had.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and I looked back up at my dreary reflection. Names were just names. Malice was just Malice, and Urami was one plucked out of thin air. Just who was I?

"Maybe," I responded to prevent the silence from growing suspicious. I looked over to Winry, and nodded, feigning a soft smile on my lips. "I feel better now. Let's go back."

I just hoped Pride wasn't lurking in the hallways.

* * *

We returned to Edward's room to see them all crowded by the window, seeming a little disturbed. They insisted that a storm past by... but I heard no thunder. As a matter of fact, Brosh and Ross acted similarly... whatever. After they recovered themselves, Armstrong asked Edward why he had to rush, and the small alchemist retorted that he didn't want to stay in a place smelling of disinfectant forever. This meant he was leaving the medical clinic, but where did he intend to go, I wondered? He must of decided this sometime when I was with Winry.

"Did you get us the tickets I asked for?" he asked Armstrong, and the large official nodded, producing an envelope. In return, he asked;

"Where are you boys going off to in such a hurry, then?"

"Dublith."

Slowly, something inside me swelled, and I was sluggish to realize that it was recognition. My eyes widened gradually, and I felt like I'd collapse any second. I rested a hand on the wall to fight against the weakness. No one noticed, thankfully, except Alphonse. He focussed on me, but didn't say anything for the time being.

"Dublith? Where's that?" Winry asked, bemused.

Al paused, still looking at me, then he turned to a map they had strewn out on a side table. He pointed as she observed. "It's right around here, in the middle of the southern region."

Then Winry had a fit, though I was too taken aback to watch and listen... Dublith...

Apparently Winry really, _really_, wanted to go to Rush Valley, which was on the way. Edward was against the idea, since she wanted him to pay for the travel expenses, but in the end, they agreed and she skipped off happily, to call her grandmother. I was unnoticed for now, thankfully. Until the officials left, and me in the room with the brothers alone.

"Urami?" Alphonse addressed me, worried. I looked up at him, then down to nothing in particular, venturing over to Edward's bed, where I sat down. Edward himself was curious on my behaviour, I knew. He was silently observing me. Al continued. "What happened before? You didn't look too well."

Unlike with Winry, this didn't need much contemplation to think through. "Dublith," I coughed out. "Dublith... I know that place."

Silence engulfed the room, and no one had anything to say at the moment. Until Edward absorbed everything first, and started laughing. I looked at him, puzzled at what was so funny.

"Why didn't we ask that one, Al?" he chuckled, messing up his sheets to sit beside me. "Really, Urami? You remember where you lived?"

"No."

His smile faltered, but I smiled to reassure him that he wasn't on the wrong path. "I remember Dublith, but it wasn't my home... I think, I lived near it. Very close to it. In the forest... in a village. I don't know. Flashes of images... pictures... they're very confusing."

Everything I spoke was the truth. At last, I remembered at least something of who I was. It wasn't my name, but it was at least something. Edward grinned now.

"That's a start, at least!" he cheered, getting to his feet and stretching. "After we stop by Rush Valley, we're heading straight to Dublith and seeing Teacher—" He shuddered for some reason here, along with Alphonse. "—then we'll look around and see any leads to your past! Finally, we can help you, Urami."

I blinked. "I'm coming along?" I inquired, surprised. He turned to me and smiled ecstatically.

"Well, yeah! I had three tickets bought originally; for me, Al, and you. And Winry'll come for Rush Valley so that will make four in the end. You were going to come even if you didn't remember this."

"But what am I of use to you in your search for the Philosopher's Stone?"

Edward shook his head, smiling. "You're coming 'cause we want you to. _I _want you to. Come on; we can do it! You'll have your memories back before no time!"

His enthusiasm was amusing, and I couldn't say no to those golden eyes. I closed my own, and realized that my eyes were cloaked in moisture, which escaped from under my lids. My past was almost in grasp, now when I started to care for it. For once, I wanted to forget about the mission and all it's in-decisions. I needed to know.

The train was tomorrow. Soon I'll have it.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

Damnit, I'm sorry. I intended to finish this chapter three weeks ago, before I flew to Poland on holiday, but I didn't have the inspiration. And tomorrow I'm driving to California with my dad. BUT I think I can take my laptop with me to type more, because now, after three weeks, my fingers are so jittery! My inspiration's sky-rocketing! And I have a notebook full of ideas from my holiday, I think I'll be able to give you another chapter or two when I come back.

The facts of this chapter are a little messed up from that for the manga, so I apologize if you're a perfectionist. XD Just bear with me. Now I'm on the path where I can improvise more than dictate from the manga. I'm excited~~

Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter after that long absence, and remember, I appreciate every single one of your reviews :)

Love you! -heart-

Vixen


	11. Delivery

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 11

I had never been on a train before; at least, I don't think I had. Unlike the mention of Dublith, no familiarity came. Funny thing was, I came to like it. The train was noisy, but within everything I could hear its life, the churning of the gears, wheels, and axis. I kept shifting my position in my seat, trying to look everywhere around me; the scenes out the windows were not what interested me, but the speed of the machine. Edward couldn't help but laugh at my behaviour. We sat together facing each other, Edward beside Winry, and I beside Alphonse. He was a big guy as many could easily conclude, but I was small enough to sit beside him comfortably, I supposed. I still sat across from Edward, and we had the aisle seating.

"What made you guys decide to go to your teacher's place all of a sudden?" Winry asked, and Edward leaned on his armrest with his fist in his cheek.

"For two reasons," he said, frowning. He held a finger up, and furrowed his brows in annoyance. "First of all, to get stronger. I've been losing so many fights lately..."

"**Huh?** You're going there to get better at fighting? Are you obsessed with fighting or something?"

"Shut up! My reasons aren't that simple!!"

Winry and Edward's random, split-second arguments amused me often, and this got a chuckle out of me. He continued, more seriously.

"I don't know how to explain it but... we wanted to get stronger on the **inside** too... right?" he addressed Al, and was rewarded with a determined "Uh huh!!". "I wanna get better at fighting!" he declared.

"Yup!" Al added. "I just know that we're gonna get stronger if we go to our teacher's place!"

I shared an exchange of sighs with Winry, amused with the boy's enthusiasm. "And what's the second reason?" Winry asked.

Edward looked past Winry and out the window. "I want to ask our teacher about transmuting human beings."

I had to say, that was the least thing that I expected of him.

"The whole time we trained together, our teacher never taught us anything about the Philosopher's Stone or human transmutation. And the closer we get to the Philosopher's Stone, the more dangerous it gets. So we thought the best thing to do would be just to ask our teacher directly about whether there's a way to get our original bodies back." He then continued more fiercely. "We can't afford to be timid anymore. We have to go ahead and ask her, even if it means that we might get killed."

I was beginning to see through the door that was left ajar for me. I knew of the Philosopher's Stone and it's abilities, as well as that it was what the homunculi were after and using Edward to gain. Although, I didn't know why he mentioned human transmutation; Dante told me it was a taboo that only foolish alchemists broke. Maybe he was trying to find a way around the consequences, so he could try. Who to bring back, though? Finally, getting their original bodies back was understandable. Alphonse definitely should get his body back, because life forever in a suit of armour was saddening... and Edward, I suppose becoming whole would make him happy, but I saw nothing wrong with him now. As for 'even if it means that we might get killed' bit, I was a bit curious. What kind of person was their teacher? I saw a drop of sweat roll down the side of Ed's face, and I saw through his façade. He was terrified. I also noticed Al's fingers fidget. I tried not to smile.

Winry noticed their fear too, and laughed weakly. Then she looked as if she remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot..." and she fumbled in her bag. Within a few seconds, she retrieved a box, and opened it.

"Apple pie," Edward said, a soft smile on his lips. "Gracia make it for you?"

"Yeah, when I went to visit her and Elicia," Winry said, smiling. Her eyes were unbelievably sad. "She's a pretty strong lady, taking care of everything on her own. I wish Lieutenant Hughes was still around."

"Brigadier General Hughes," Edward corrected, drained. He, too, seemed dispirited by the look of the dessert. He tried to lighten the mood, however. "Look, she made it big enough for three people again."

"This time you don't get my share," Alphonse laughed to help his brother, looking down at me. "Urami can help you guys eat it."

"I don't know," I said. I was still rather iffy with normal food, craving some Red Stone. And I didn't even know who "Gracia", "Elicia" or "Mr. Hughes" were except for one-dimensional assumptions. "Mrs. Hughes didn't bake it for me, and I wouldn't want to intrude..."

"Don't think like that!" Winry said, offering me a portion. "I bet Mrs. Hughes would have loved you if you met. She's a wonderful person, and she'd bake for everyone to be happy. Come on~"

I stared at the pie piece, and I couldn't say no. I thanked her and ate it along with Edward and Winry. I had an apple before, but never a pie, and yet the mix of the two was... very nice. It was pleasing. Though, the slight sense of despair that appeared would not pass on, and everyone was silent for a share of our journey.

* * *

Winry was asleep, taking a nap after saying how suddenly exhausted she was. She leaned her head against the glass of the window, and she looked very serene in slumber. Al was looking out the window, most likely lost in thought, and Edward simply had his eyes closed, resting his head back. I was bored, honestly, but that came with almost every lengthy trips.

I excused myself, needing to go to the restroom. Edward's eyes opened and he watched me as I passed. I smiled at him softly and went on my way to the end of the car. It was strange for me, to be walking the opposite way the train was actually speeding along. I opened the door at the end, was greeted by the exterior roar and hisses of the train, and I stepped over the chain-links that swung lazily over the blurring ground. I took my time, almost hypnotized by the obscure shapes and colours that used to be below me seconds before, replaced by more obscure pieces, and so on. It was my first time, after all.

I found the washroom in the car I entered, and when I exited, I wasn't quite ready to return to my seat. I continued down the length of the train toward its tail, passing by other passengers, normal people. They were happy, and I couldn't help by envy them a little. They didn't know my kind of dilemmas.

I finally reached the back of the train, and I liked the view. It wasn't as unfocussed as it was looking straight down at the ground. And unlike with windows, everything didn't disappear past the edge of the frame. Here, I took my time with the scenes, watching them as they gradually grew too small to identify anymore. And another thing was, I felt content at everything disappearing behind me... it gave me a feeling like, running away from all your troubles, and just living free. The wind wound its fingers through my hair soothingly, and the sun was hidden behind the clouds, allowing my eyes to stay eased. This Rush Valley was approaching very soon.

"You took your time, huh?" Edward's voice came over the wind, and his form came to stand on my left. I smiled.

"I don't like sitting in one place for too long. It was the same in that hospital I was stuck in when I met you."

He nodded, seeming to understand. "How are you feeling, by the way?"

"Well, if you're talking about my shoulder, it's hardly a problem."

"What about the bruise on your face?" he asked, persistent. My smile grew wider.

"Hardly worth worrying over. What about your broken body?"

He laughed at my counter. "I can handle it."

"Of course you can."

I reached for his automail hand with my left, slipping the glove off and welcoming the cool channel it sent through my body. I was fond of this aspect of him, and I didn't know why. It was the same way I liked the train. It was as if I had the same enthusiasm as Winry had for her mechanics, only mine was for the steel itself. Would I have liked Edward if he was whole? The question reminded me of the earlier discussion, and it lead to the points I wanted to ask.

"Edward?" He focussed on me, and I continued. "Who was Maes Hughes?"

It wasn't really my concern who he was, but it was a start to briefly know who he was to Edward, Winry, and everyone else. Edward's eyes tightened a little at the mention, then he smiled gently.

"He was a good friend. Though, he was very smother-y, always bragging about his wife and daughter. Once, when I was hospitalized similarly to how I was not too long ago, he always came to visit me. He always said how busy he was, but he always managed to make time. With Winry, he welcomed her into his home the first time, when she needed a place to lodge."

"And he's dead now," I tried to put it as delicately as I could, since I couldn't find any other way of put it down at that moment. Edward nodded his head solemnly. "How?"

"He was killed by the homunculi."

How he said it, I couldn't help but feel that he was accusing _me_ of killing Maes Hughes, even though he wasn't even close to it. I was of the homunculi. Edward turned away from me and looked at the disappearing imagery.

"It was my fault," he confessed, sounding completely remorseful. "I got him involved. He went ahead and researched into things the homunculi didn't want him to. And they killed him. It was like they were saying, "Don't stick your neck out too far", either about the Philosopher's Stone, or something about the military's past actions. He died because he was trying to help us, and he left a wife and child behind."

The rattling of the chains and seething of the train's engine filled in the silence that seeped in between the two of us. His self-beating hurt... I didn't like him like this.

"That's why I didn't want to tell you so much."

He scratched the back of his head, giving me a sorry a look. "I've already told you how much I care for you, but I've felt like a cheat. The death of Hughes reminds me of what lead him to his death, and I don't want the same thing happening to you. But then, keeping you in the dark hurts, too. I feel unfair, and I don't want you to think that I'm keeping secrets from you because I don't see you as that important. No, that's not it! I'm just a little...a little..."

"Scared?" I finished, and after a moment, he nodded. I stepped closer to him, linking my arm with automail one. Being this close to him made my heart beat a little faster, with both my sin in retaliation and my internal feelings for him. I tried to swallow both emotions down. "I don't know if Al told you, but I'll have you know that I fought alongside him at Laboratory 5."

He was baffled, which was what I was aiming for. I grinned a little, pleased. "You know, I might be clumsy enough to fall down some park stairs, or faceplant in the city, but when it comes to protecting myself, I can manage a little. As for that homunculus that chased me before..." I paused a moment. "It was the first time I'd ever been attacked by one, so now I know what to expect at least."

It took him a few seconds to recover, then he chuckled. "I bet you could really pack a punch, huh? Maybe that's why you always have those gloves on?"

A shot pierced through my gut, but I laughed alongside him. "Yeah; I've always had these on," I lied. "After I lost my memory, I felt sort of secure with them on. Heh, I guess they could be good padding for my knuckles..."

My left hand was still on his right, and now he turned mine up and caught it in his mechanic fingers. He brought it up, and I nearly yanked away when he took my glove by the helm, pulling it off. Thank the God — oh, thank the _God_ — I never knew, that it wasn't my right hand. Well, it was probably 'equivalent exchange', since I took off his glove.

My pale hand felt cool, freed from the black leather. Now that I looked at them now, they didn't look like my hands. It's not that I found them like someone elses' hands, but I was surprised that they looked so much more delicate than it did with gloves. I compared my right with my left for this conclusion. Edward looked over my hand like it was some beautiful masterpiece. I loved the feeling of him holding it in both hands; the contrast was always my favourite.

"You have child's hands," he expressed. "You're the first I've met with child's hands. Well, my age, I mean."

"Is that bad?" I inquired, and he shook his head, smiling subtly. He intertwined his mechanical fingers with my exposed ones, and I shuddered.

"I think they're beautiful."

I laughed softly, a little flattered. I searched out the sun, and it was nearing the horizon a little, still untouched by the change of the setting. As I mentioned before, the place where I was now was comforting, feeling like I was running away from my sorrows, at least until they caught up with me. And then, with Edward by my side, I couldn't express just how... _happy_ I was. i wanted to spend my moments with them, even if they were my last. My little fairy-tale could never be.

I started crying. Everything was so confusing, I thought my mind and heart would rip themselves apart at any second. The tears had rolled down my cheeks silently, and Edward didn't notice until he glanced at me, intending for just a look of admiration. His expression changed when he saw the cascading drops of sadness. He lips opened to ask what was wrong, but they shut when he realized I wasn't going to be able to talk anyway. My throat was clogged, and I felt like I couldn't breathe, let alone talk. I looked down, ashamed with this crack that suddenly broke my defences, and I pressed my face against his shoulder in order to hide my tears.

How could he have taken my heart? How the hell was that even possible? I'm a homunculus! I shouldn't have these damned emotions! _I_ was the one that was suppose steal his heart, and I alone! But I never realized just how special he was to me. I never realized that human emotions could course through my dead body, and still feel alive. I remembered how I hated everything, and in my mission, I only saw him as my first victim of spite and torture, nothing more. I loved causing pain; I loved it when I beat Envy to a pulp. And then this alchemist just had to be kind to me, love me. Everything that I was told, and everything that I concluded about myself as a homunculus before... was trashed, wrong. I didn't know anything anymore. I was so eager to know who I was as human, when previously it held no interest to me. I was in total chaos, and I didn't know how to recover from it. I could not tell anyone because it would reveal me as who I was, and what then? I'd lose Edward, too, and I'd be just a huge mess of pathetic confusions, neither homunculus, nor human.

He kissed my tears away. He held my face in his hands to steady my sobbing and he kissed them away wordlessly, no questions asked. I remembered just how embarrassed he was around me, bashful, and now he was effectively comforting me in an intimate way. He was expressing himself now, and what his heart held for me just... just... I...

I leaned in to kiss him on the lips, desiring him so badly where I was. My tears wouldn't cease. My turmoil remained. In all the desperate escapes, I reached for him. My arms circled his neck and I pressed our bodies together, fitting restfully. He responded with enclosing his arms around me and placing his hands on my back. For that moment, it was just me and him. The talisman he gave me, hidden under my clothing in an attempt to control my emotions, felt like it was apart of me, burning with a passion that I'd never let go. I wanted him so badly...

Our moment of bliss wouldn't last. Never.

* * *

Arriving in Rush Valley was a bit of a hassle.

Well, the arrival wasn't the hassle; it came by rather smoothly. We departed from the train station to find the metropolis that Winry so admired. In a sense, I loved it too. Automail everywhere meant _steel _everywhere. Countless stalls and shops held mechanics, and many in the city had automail limbs of plenty designs. Winry was like a child on Christmas day, hopping around the place and pointing and ranting... I wasn't used to this kind of energetic behaviour, but it was amusing at some parts.

It was later that Edward's pocket watch got pick-pocketed.

It started off funny, to say the least... Automail mechanics were so enthusiastic on seeing Edward's automail limbs that they stripped him down to his underwear. This, too, was a sense of equivalent exchange... the first time we meant, he saw me in my underwear, and now it was my turn. Perverted as it may sound, I liked what I saw. He had a very finely-built body for his age... I couldn't help but blush. He was _STEAMING_, however, and this is not only about his sexual appeal! He was furious, and that was either a frightening or an amusing sight.

When he realized that his silver watch was gone, everything seemed more confusing than my severely-split personality. I stayed with Winry when he and Alphonse ran after the culprit, and from where we were standing, lots of destruction were left in their wake. The both of them were very co-ordinated, and Edward showed the true power of his alchemy as he chased after her. She was a tricky one to conquer, though, and it was Winry who caught her in the end, with only the interest of looking at her practical automail legs.

Her name was Paninya, and after whatever it was Winry was going on about, she demanded to see the maker, and so the pick-pocket led us into the wastelands, lined with canyons and scarce of water. I managed fine I suppose, with my body, but the other showed moderate fatigue. Paninya looked at me curiously for my stamina, but she offered a friendly smile, a show of being impressed.

Soon we came to the house of her mechanic, that also housed his son, Ridel, and _his _wife Satera. Satera sat in a chair with her hand on her giant belly... it took me a while to realize that she was pregnant with a child. Then we met Dominic, a scowling old man.

We spent more time there, as Winry persisted to be Dominic's apprentice. He refused to take her on, though, and that brought her down. I felt sort of sorry for her, because I knew she was good enough to be his apprentice. In the mean time, we were treated as their guests, Edward pestering Dominic for lighter automail occasionally and being called a 'Bean Sprout' in return.

Satera and Ridel's baby was due in two weeks, and it was evident from the size of the mother's belly that the baby was virtually ready. Edward and I were given the privilege of feeling her belly, and I felt the small one kick... it was a strange idea, that a small, living being was inside her, waiting to be born.

Sooner than everyone thought.

It was indeed a world of panic then. There was a storm raging outside that destroyed the bridge, and a woman screaming in pain. I was astonished that Winry took the liberty to deliver the baby. It was a courage that I respected. She asked Paninya and I to help, and I admit I was a little nervous, but I tried my best. Satera's cries of agony didn't faze me, but fed my sin. I felt how it writhed in delight inside me, and it was hard to keep it at bay. I tried to focus on what was approaching and what was at hand. Sanitizing the area, refreshing and carrying back freshly hot water... I was helping to deliver life into the world.

Of all the things that threw me into a fit of disorder, it was the baby's first cry of life.

Edward and Alphonse burst into the room, when Paninya retreated and Winry was collapsed to her knees, panting. "Hey, what happened?!" he demanded, and she pointed. Everything was okay, for the baby was crying in his father's hands. It was okay.

I wasn't.

I slipped away from the room, hopefully unnoticed. I stumbled along the hallways, looking for some place of solitude, my eyes wide and strained, though not seeing anything at all. I felt deaf, blind, mute, lost in all my sense. I couldn't even acknowledge the wall I pressed myself against on my way. I found a door that lead outside, and the storm was beginning to lose its might and was dwindling into simple sheets. I backed into the outside brickwork and slid into a crouch, clutching my talisman, ignoring the rain that battered me. I was lost.

That baby's cry was more than just that; it was a reminder, of something deep and forgotten. I heard many cries of children in my head, as if I was tuning in with the voices of the world all at once, and it threatened to make my head implode. Children crying, children shrieking, children screaming, children...

Edward found me in my breakdown, and just like before, I felt embarrassed at my show of weakness. He didn't say anything, but he comforted me as I shakily recovered. I rewarded his presence with knowledge.

"I remember something more... about my past," I wheezed to him, and his face brightened somewhat, but he saw my expression, a dire graveness, and his smile faltered. I shook my head as if to clear my thoughts, but they were already jumbled as it was. "Something... something bad... it felt... morbid to me... something about babies, and young children..."

As my breathing pattern returned, he gave my shoulders a squeeze. "Hey," he said soothingly, breathing into my ear, "At least we're catching up further. Whatever it is, we'll find it in Dublith."

"But I'm... also kind of afraid, too," I said, shutting my eyes tight. "What if I don't like what I see? ...what if you don't...?"

I looked at him and he looked at me quizzically for that last part, and I bit my lip, regretting the addition of that question. He caressed my shoulder tenderly. He said softly, "If I don't, I'll be damned then, won't I? Don't you worry. Whatever your past has in store, I'll always see you as my Urami."

Edward could always hurt me in the most unintentional of ways.

* * *

It seemed like no time at all, our leaving. I didn't dare come near that baby, in fear that I'd react in the same way I had at its birth. Dominic suggested that Winry should ask an apprenticeship with a mechanic named Garfiel, and Paninya was going to end her pick-pocketing ways. This all felt like a summary to me; no dialogue or significant details stuck to me, except the things that influenced me most. If I had an audience right now, they'd no doubt be bored by all of this.

Then, Alphonse, Edward and I were running short of our train, and we had to chase after it at departure.

"Be careful out there!" Winry called from behind us, also followed by Paninya.

"You too!" Edward hollered back. After I jumped and landed in the gondola of the tail beside Al, he joined us. "You better train hard! Granny's probably worried about you! Make sure you give her a call!"

"I don't need _you_ of all people to remind me!!"

He laughed, and he held his automail arm up. "Make sure you steal some of that old geezer's secrets so that next time you can make a better one of these!"

"You can count on it!" Winry waved with zest. It was a funny sight, and I looked to the shrinking town, when; "Hey, Urami!!"

I looked to see both Winry's and Paninya's figures waving at me with both arms, looking similar to birds. I saw Winry's eyes and they were bright with hope. "I hope you find what you're looking for!" she shouted. "I wish you luck with getting your memories!"

I took a moment to register this, and then I waved back, a sad smile on my face. "Thanks!" I yelled back, and I was grateful, truly, but...

Now leaving Rush Valley. Alphonse, Edward and I found our seats and we sat down. I must have looked nervous, because Edward reached over from across of me and set his hand on my own, on my lap. He gave me a more reassuring smile.

"Everything will be fine," he said, nodding. Alphonse added his own show of agreement. "I don't understand how you can be _more_ worried than we are for our own skins. It won't be so bad. I promise."

I smiled ruefully.

Edward had no idea how broken his promise was.

_End of Chapter_

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_A/N:_ Let's see, today is the 18th of August, so you know. When I finish this chapter, that is. I'll try and finish the next chapter on my break here... but I have to collect my thoughts, and how lucky am I to have left my idea journal at home... GAH.

Sorry this chappie was more of a summary than my actual plot. I wanted to go by the manga more but I got lazy and didn't want to write MORE dialogue than I needed, haha. Well, I do hope it wasn't a TOTAL disappointment. At least I threw in some EdXUma (shipping name courtesy of PurpleViolin XD) and more tidbits of Urami's past. Just what do I have in store?! Truthfully I don't even know that much myself. -sweatdrop-

Oi, the battery in my laptop is dying... better end this author's note. Just like every other chapter, I'd like to say thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and I'd like to inform you that I love all reviews, whether praise, thoughts, or constructive criticism! Love you! -heart-

~Vixen


	12. Reminiscence

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

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Chapter 12

_Panting. My ribs were burning, my lungs were swelling and withering. I was running in a place that I never set foot in, and yet my feet seemed to know where they were taking me. There was familiarity behind everything I saw. I was in a small village, degraded and dirty, buildings barely suitable for living. Some people dressed in rags walked the main roads, but I avoided them with the alley I tread. There were some distinct sounds of animals, but other than that, the place was not as lively as a normal city. These people's existences dragged on and there was no life._

"_Cid!" my voice tore from my throat without my permission. I had never known that name. And even more bizarre, that wasn't even my voice. It was too masculine. There was a boy up ahead, about the age of fourteen, grouped with others much alike, dressed in worn cloth. Black hair, blue eyes. He had a baby tucked in a sack on his back, and the child looked at me curiously over 'Cid''s shoulder. I slid to a stop ungracefully and collapsed my hands to my knees heaving._

"_Did you see her?" he asked anxiously. I felt my head shake negative. "Did you find her?" he asked again, as if he hadn't seen my gesture. He seemed ultimately worried._

"_I checked... everywhere.... I checked the... river, the meadow... our secret place, and... I even checked the Gallows.... I can't find her anywhere... I'm scared..."_

_"Damnit!" Cid exclaimed, running his fingers through his hair aggressively. The baby on his shoulder retreated into the bag, as if provoked. It started to cry. Cid seemed to realize his inconsiderate outburst, and swung the bag off gently so that he could soothe the kid. It was strange, to see a kid not even in his teens taking care of a newborn, most likely his sibling. His eyes softened from his fiery tension, and they took on a more sad look. "Absolutely everywhere, Tom?"_

_I nodded. I nodded to a name that wasn't mine._

"_Then she's been taken," Cid's eyes closed tightly, grimacing. "She couldn't have just disappeared out of thin air. She wouldn't leave us. She's our mum, even though she's not even that older than me. We have to find her, and we have to save her."_

"_But where in the world do we start?" a girl said, eyes brimming with crystal-like tears. "I-I want to find her but I don't know where to look!"_

_"Easy, Rosalyn. We know for a fact that she went missing last night. We saw her go out before nightfall, and she didn't come back. What did she go out for?" Cid urged._

_"Water," she answered, sniffling. "But we already checked the river..."_

"_It's not the river that she was interested in; it's too dirty. Knowing her, she'd go for the cleanest." Cid was taking a moment to consider all the possible places that were possible. After what seemed like an endless silence amongst us, he looked at me with his dark eyes, a slow assumption crawling over his features. I straightened up from my fatigue. I stood under his gaze, waiting. "Tom," he began, "did you check the Alchemist's?"_

_I felt my eyes widen. I — no, Tom — had not checked there. I shook my head numbly, and Cid's eyes darkened._

"_That son of a bitch," he muttered savagely, having learnt that yelling that curse would only disturb his sibling from peace again. He safely swung it onto his shoulder again, and glared at the ground. His hands came together and gripped together tightly. "Screw the rest of the places. I know. That sick man's got her."_

_Murmurs awoke in our group, and eyes glances to each other, frightened. There was a vice-like grip of fear in my own gut, and I knew not why. I heard the word 'alchemist' and always saw Edward in my mind. Whoever this man was, he was feared, hated, scorned._

"_What does he want with her?" my voice asked._

"_That guy's a god-wannabe. I hear he's studying stuff that the 'Life-Sewing Alchemist' researched. He's taking dogs, cats, chickens, and twisting them into ugly things..."_

"_And he'll do the same to her," one of them said, horrified. His horror enveloped us like a plague._

_Cid nodded grimly, and he beckoned with his hand to us. We followed when he started down the alley. "Let's see how his security's holding," he said. "That idiot's got most of the thugs working for him like lapdogs. If anything, we'll go tonight, me and a couple of boys."_

"_We're all going," Rosalyn said firmly. Her tears were lightly diminished, but they still shone in her determined eyes. "We need every arm we've got. He might be a god-wannabe, but he's still the closest thing to a god here."_

_Cid considered this, and adjusted his load. "But it's too dangerous for Cecilia..."_

"_I'll take care of her," I said, and he looked at me. I saw him look me up, from head to toe, and I looked down as well. I was a skinny, pathetic little thing. Even Rosalyn had more muscle than me, let alone all the girls in our group. Not only that, but I recognized cowardice. I was a coward. I could not fight, I could not help. Hell, my stamina wasn't that great either, seeing as I almost coughed up my lungs running to them. I looked to Cecilia as she poked her head up again, staring at me with sea-blue eyes. Cid looked over his shoulder to his sister, eyes gentle. He took a moment, then he swung his sister off and offered her to me. My hands cradled her and I brought her to the centre of my body, awaiting orders._

"_Go to the shack and stay there until we come back with her," Cid commanded, and the small building leapt into my mind's eye. A sad excuse for a home, dominated by sticks and mud. Cid took a hold of my hand, almost like he was performing a covenant. "Take good care of my sister."_

_I nodded, and I stood a moment to look at them all. Then I turned away, planning to obey my requirement. Cecilia squirmed a little to keep contact with her brother, and she started to fuss, whimper, cry. I had to go, but it was just saddening to be a cause of a child's sorrow._

_Then I started to run. Cecilia cried. Everything was a blur to me, sight-wise and hearing-wise, though one can't hear a blur. It was mute. I soon became unaware of the small child's wails. I reached my destination in unreal time, and I slid down the muddy, poorly-constructed entrance. Like a mammal's burrow. I felt like I was in a rush, setting down Cecilia on a batch of moderately-clean wool, when it'd be soaked with her young tears. I turned to the entrance and planned to cover it with the torn, curtain-like veil._

_Hands reached for my face._

I twitched awake, and was oblivious of where I was for a second. Then I knew I wasn't Tom, but Urami—um, Malice. The train had stopped, and Edward had woken me up, his hand having stroked my cheek. He looked at me apologetically.

"Sorry, but I had to wake you up."

"It's okay," I urged myself to sit up straight and stretch. So that was a dream. Of what inspired it, I wasn't sure. I had suspected that my dreams might be a portal to my old life, but... it didn't make sense. I was a boy named Tom? Homunculi were supposed to be ideal reflections of their old selves. No, this dream had no significance to that, surely. But exactly _what_, then, did it mean?

Edward took my hand and helped me up. He handled my and his belongings onto his shoulder, even though I could easily do that myself, because I didn't have many belongings to begin with. The talisman lay cooly against my chest, and that was the only belonging that truly meant something to me. We followed Alphonse off the train, and as we stepped out onto the platform, my eyes took in the sign that drew all attention. 

**DUBLITH   
**_Welcome!_

The destination board was really of no concern of mine. At least, I didn't think it did. The only familiarity came from the name of the town itself. Still, no memories came flooding back, like I hoped. But enough of that at the moment... I wanted to focus more on what Edward and Alphonse had to do while they were here, meeting their teacher. They were sort of solemn as we walked into the settlement, most likely contemplating how to meet her.

We stopped at last in front of a meat shop. It didn't look anything special, but... it seems I've seen it before. Maybe I really did live in Dublith, and this was one of the places I passed by everyday? I tried to consider it, but that unbelievable dream persisted me. Maybe the people here would recognize me.

"At last," Edward said after letting out a gust-like sigh. "We're here..." Then his brow twitched, and he looked horrified again.

"I just hope... our teacher isn't here!!" Alphonse managed nervously, and I couldn't help but giggle. Then I almost jumped a mile, whereas Edward and Aphonse flinched to the point they fell;

"HI! CAN I HELP YOU?!"

A young man with short-cropped hair and a well-built body yelled, carrying a sack of some necessity. He had a friendly look upon his face, and surely didn't mean anything to scare them. It was probably because Ed and Al were scared to the core already about their teacher...

The man's name was Mason, a helper at the Meat shop, and he was excited to see that Edward and Alphonse came to visit. He was jokingly teasing Edward about how 'big' he'd gotten, and how huge Alphonse got, for he didn't know he was hollow. He then offered to see if 'Izumi' was back from her trip — turned out she was —, and that triggered another of Edward's horrified expression. Izumi must be...

Well, Izumi didn't come out just yet. It took me by surprised that a gigantuan man, covered in blood and carrying a large butcher's knife, stepped through that tiny door. I guess I sort of stepped back, to remain forgotten in this confrontation. His face was a permanent scowl, and it looked like he was going to hit Edward, instead of patting him on the head. He patted Al too, and it was amusing to see the younger brother cheered by the fact it was the first time since he obtained a metallic body. The man noticed me in this strange meeting, and he glared me down with that scary face of his. I stood against it, only letting a single drop of sweat roll down the back of my neck.

He then proceeded to crush my head. "It's nice to meet you," he grumbled, which seemed very odd in concern to what he said. I didn't even say my name, and he didn't say his.

"Why the sudden visit?" he asked Edward. The smaller one rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"There was something we wanted to ask our teacher..."

"Okay then, come with me. Mason, watch the shop, will you?"

"Yes, sir!" Mason said, giving me a curious look now that he noticed my presence. He then grinned, now that he linked things together. "Wow... Alphonse got a girlfriend..."

My jaw dropped a little, Al looked cartoonishly shocked, and Edward's brow twitched. All three of us were speechless, so we thought it best to not say anything right at the moment... so we followed the big man to wherever he was leading us...

it was strange to hear the word 'girlfriend' and have it associated with me, even though I was mistaken with the wrong person.

"Uh... how's our teacher been doing?" Edward said, to change the subject.

"Doing pretty good, considering her condition," he said, and it seemed that their destination was closer than I thought. It was the building adjoining the meat shop, in fact. In no time we came to a door, and he went to a window. "Hey, Izumi, the Elric kids are here. Can you get up?"

"_I guess teacher was sleeping because she wasn't feeling _well," Al whispered.

_"I wonder if she got sick again_—" and with that, he got kicked in the face.

"Well if it isn't my fool of an apprentice," a female, snarling voice came from inside the home. "I've heard **rumours **about you two, even out here in Dublith."

Alphonse was freaking out, and Edward was practically dead where he was. The scene was both amusing and frightening at the same time, I had to say. I saw the woman come out, and something inside me clicked. My eyes widened, almost to the point that they hurt. She was tall, with dark eyes and black dreadlock-like hair gathered in a ponytail. She continued to yell;

"So you've stooped so low as to become a **dog of the military**, have you? Well? Say something!!"

Seeing as Edward was in no condition to say anything, she turned on Alphonse. She seemed friendly enough all of a sudden, offering Al her hand... but then when she took hold, she flipped him over.

"You've let yourselves become weak!" she scolded, turning her back.

"I thought you weren't feeling well, teacher...!" Alphonse protested.

"What are you talking about?! You think after you two come all this way, I'd just stay in bed...?"

_SPURT. _ Then on, blood erupted from Izumi's throat. As everyone fussed about it, something else clicked inside me again, and my sight was blinded. Blinded, then given sight again. _ "What are you doing here?"_

_I turned from the rack of knives I was reaching for, and I saw Izumi standing at the other end of the room, holding a shawl closely around her shoulders. It was night, and she turned on a light to reveal my form in her meat shop. I held a short intake of breath, waiting for what to do next. I was aware now that I had an accomplice with me. Cid._

_"Well?" Izumi asked, eyes impossibly dark. "I won't have thieves in my home."_

"_Don't move, Rosalyn," Cid told me calmly. "She's an alchemist."_

"_Like the one that took her?" I said, eyes watering at the reminder. He nodded. My face tightened._

"_Then I want her dead!" I hissed, and I slipped a butcher-knife from its rack. I sent it reeling at the woman across the room, a perfect spiral. She caught it with ease, and looked at me emotionlessly. I took another knife and wanted to throw it, but Cid grasped my wrist. I wrenched myself free, and ran at the woman._

"_Damnit, Rosalyn! We need these for the OTHER alchemist!"_

_Izumi clapped her hands, and the one I was impersonating didn't regard this motion. Electricity crackled on the knife she held, she pinched her fingers on the tip, and she pulled slowly, unravelling sturdy wire in furling loops. She sent this serpentine whip at me and it encircled me, digging through my worn clothes. The knife I took dropped from my fingers._

_"Rosalyn!" Cid shouted._

_"What other alchemist are you talking about?" Izumi demanded. My tears threatened to fall. Izumi's eyes softened. "I don't mean you any harm..."_

"_Yeah, say that to everyone you'd like to use and torture!" I screeched. "All you alchemists are the same. You say you're the good of all, but you just take from us and nature and leave us to the dirt! You kill people and you throw everything away from the sake of information! Just burn in Hell already!"_

"_Who is this other alchemist?" she persisted, which made me rage. "I'm sure I can help you..."_

"_BURN IN HELL!" I shrilled again, and I looked at Cid. He collected all the knives while this occurred, and now he took the appropriate action to free me. He ran at Izumi, regardless if she was an alchemist. He, however, held no weapon... this angered me. What was he doing?!_

_Izumi tried to create more alchemy, but something happened. Her body lurched, and she wretched, scarlet splattering against the floor. Before he'd even reached her, she collapsed her knees, coughing. She had released hold on her newly-created whip. Cid changed direction and freed me of my bounds. I wanted to reach for the knife I dropped, but Cid got it before me and stuffed it quickly into his bag, cutting his fingers on the other's he'd collected. I glowered him, but he sent me an even dirtier look. He took a hold of my arm and ripped me toward the window we snuck through. I wanted to pull away, but he looked close to hitting me into my senses. With a last glance at Izumi, we ran._

_We joined our group by the river, and it was then that I punched Cid in the face. Tears cascaded down my cheeks. Cid got back up again, rather calmly. I stuffed my fists against my eyes, sobbing angrily._

_"I know how much you hate alchemists, I know," Cid said, his fingers patting my shoulders. I wanted to move away, but now was not the time... "Save that anger for that bastard, okay? Then I'll join you. Okay, Rosalyn?"_

_I calmed down a little, and I fell to my knees. We were by the river, everyone present. I looked down to my reflection... my grey eyes drifted up to me, squinted and warped. Cid dipped his bleeding fingers into the river, wisps of his blood translucent and joining the flow. He wiped his black hair from his eyes. Then he patted my shoulder once more. I looked to him, and our eyes met._

_He nodded. "We'll bring her back." _ 

"Who might you be?"

Izumi's face appeared in front of my own face, curious. Her eyes were soft, just like in that... vision. Though I was surprised, I kept a straight face. I was actually expecting that she'd throw me too, or hit me in the face. But she didn't. Well, why would she, when we hadn't met before?

Or...?

"Th-This is Urami," Edward came in, face bleeding. He seemed still a little shaken, but at least it wasn't as bad as it was before this confrontation. "She's..."

"Ah," Izumi said, then she looked at Alphonse approvingly. "She's very cute," she commented.

"She's not mine," Alphonse said hastily, avoiding the word we all assumed. "She's Ed's..."

Silence ensued, and by the deepness of it, both my and Edward's faces blushed. Then, Izumi draped her arm around my shoulder and steered me toward the house. "I sincerely don't know what you see in that boy..." she sighed. Edward had an incredulous expression, and his teacher merely laughed.

"It's good to see you two," she said, smacking Edward across the back of the head. "Welcome back!"

I looked at Edward with a smile. It wasn't too bad, the confrontation. Well, I could say that simply because I wasn't attacked. We walked inside, and I was welcomed. Dinner was served, and we all — except for the secret exception of Alphonse— ate our share. There was certainly some catching up, but I was mostly keeping to myself.

Now, Rosalyn and Cid have appeared twice to me. And what's more, Izumi was in such a vision. What was the deal? I knew nothing of it. I recognized the kitchen now because of that one... I wanted to say 'flashback', but that couldn't be. How could I be two persons at once? I had two perspectives so far. Would this be the end?

I was aware that Izumi was looking at me in contemplation. I looked back at her, and after a moment, she smiled. While Mason, Edward and Alphonse were sharing stories, she told me, "You have very nice eyes."

"Thank you," I managed to say. I didn't feel convinced... I remembered that I once compared my eyes with Edward's. "Why do you say that, though?"

She seemed surprised by my counter to her praise, but she closed her eyes with a small smile. "I once met a girl with your type of eyes. Though they were angry at the time, they were very sad. You have sad eyes, that's all."

Whether or not she was accusing me of being sad presently, the fact that she met a girl with grey eyes frightened me. Rosayn had grey eyes...

Does that mean that Cid, Rosalyn, Tom, and all of them... really exist?

_End of Chapter_

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_A/N_

Why hello there. :D

I'M SORRY! D:

Soo long since I updated this. . I got really impatient and wanted to skip up to a part I'm REALLY PSYCHED FOR, but then it would lack the set up for it. :c Plus, I was really jammed about Urami's real name -leGASP-, and since most didn't realize there's a poll on my page, my choice has long been undecided.

ALSO, school had taken up most of my time... even though I still procrastinate on Math homework. I still try to finish everything, concerning life, school, art, and writing, but the writing is lagging about real slowly. With this chapter, I hope it's not the last until some break from school.

So, I hope you liked this chapter, like it enough to rate and review, and I SINCERELY ask you to take part of the poll at the top of my profile page. It will help me alot! ^^ Love you~

Vixen


	13. Remorse

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

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Chapter 13

Words could not explain how utterly out of it I was.

The thoughts of turmoil and confusion that concerned the little mind-movies I received were strong. I thought what I'd get would be about MY past, if I got lucky, not what I got now. They weren't my eyes. I didn't see myself anywhere. And the chances in which I was able to regard myself through some reflection, it wasn't me, either. Nothing belonged to me... I wondered if I'd get another vision soon and lose my sanity completely...

At one point I thought they were just random, irrelevant epiphanies. But then, as I explained earlier, they were too similar, coming edge-to-edge to each other with proximity. It was like comparing perspectives in a story. The same story, the same characters, and at the same time, the story progressed, each at different approaches. If someone else saw these, would they come to the same, undecided conclusion I have? That everything's... dare I think it... connected...?

Dinner was done with, and Alphonse was talking with Izumi, Mason and Izumi's massive husband at they went to the door. Me and Edward were last, and we stood up together.

"What do you think?" Edward asked me, reaching for my hand. It took me a moment to retrieve myself from my deep thoughts and I smiled softly.

"I think you and Al were totally over-exaggerating."

"Says one who's been spared getting hit."

"But you should be used to that by now. Did you forget you were a student of hers?"

Edward smiled and shook his head. "Well, at least it's a good thing. I was worried on how you'd react."

"Don't worry about it," I said, and I winked with a smile. I hope it didn't come out as a twitch; I never did a wink before. "I think there are way crazier people out there."

"Hey Ed!" Mason yelled back at us. "I bet your alchemy skills have gotten a lot better since the last time we saw you, right? Maybe you can show me how much you've improved!"

"Oh, sure! Whatever you like!" Ed turned to me, nodded, and we both followed Mason out of the house, to the front yard. Alphonse was already drawing a transmutation circle outside. Before our eyes, he created a simple, but rather cute, statue of a carousel pony.

Needless to say, when they were talking about improvements and praise, a fast blur of movement caught my eye, and I followed it. It was by the gate... a boy. Bare foot. Long, disarrayed hair. He glared at me with violet eyes, and for a second I correspondedly didn't recognize him and gave a start.

He disappeared. Last time I saw him, he buried his face in his 'mother' 's stomach. How he was able to glare like that, I never knew. And the fact that he was here meant the homunculi knew where I was. They were tailgating. No surprise, but I had hoped... I hoped my fantasized salvation would last just a little longer... I wish I could've rode that train for the rest of my life.

"My turn!" Ed said, and I turned back to observe. He clapped his hands together, and without hesitation slammed them against the ground, unleashing electric currents of neon blue. By the end, a mythological beast reared back, brandishing its detail. It was certainly a treat for the eye, looking at all the creases and cracks that made up the majesty. I think Al felt outmatched, because he pestered his brother to pay attention to his details, and they started bickering. I smiled, shook my head, and my eyes returned back to the gate.

He wasn't there. Did I imagine it?

No.

"Ed... don't lie to me..."

I turned to see Izumi looking sternly at Edward. He gave her a questioning look, with a smidge of nervousness. She took a moment, then continued;

"You've seen **that thing**, haven't you?"

Edward's eyes widened, and there was a pause before his responded. He understood what 'that thing' was. I didn't. "...yes, I did."

"I should have expected that from a **genius** who became a State Alchemist at your age."

"I'm not a genius," Edward looked down shamefully. "I just saw that thing, that's all." Then he looked up, revelation suddenly transforming his face into shock. "Teacher, you mean **you've**...?"

"MRS. CURTIS!!"

Then on, children came by, holding up some broken toy. They demanded Izumi to fix it with alchemy, but she refused and wanted to do it the natural way. As to why she didn't just transmute it anew, I wasn't sure. But her and Edward's talk about 'that thing' seemed to be at a standstill. They went inside, and I saw Edward and Alphonse go in too. I stayed. My body tensed when I saw Edward turn to me.

"Urami, are you coming?"

"I... well, I feel like talking a walk," I said hesitantly. "...alone."

"What, is something bothering you?" he demanded, stepping toward me. I stepped back, waving my hands foolishly. I laughed. Violet eyes flashed across my mind's eye.

"No, I just feel like thinking about a few things. You know, like the memory I got in Rush Valley... I'll be right back, okay? Go with your teacher."

It took him a moment to consider it, then nodded with a rueful smile. As soon as the door was shut quietly after him, I pivoted on my heel and walked briskly through the gate.

If anything, one would think I was walking right into their hands. They'd think I was a defective homunculus, and get rid of me. But running wasn't the answer. They'd follow us everywhere, and regardless if I was alive or not, they'd get Edward. I wanted to see what I could do. Sitting around, faking myself with someone I'm having human feelings for wasn't worthwhile. Saving him, dying for him, certainly did sound worthwhile. It _was._

After entering the busy street, I called out softly, not to gain attention, and yet enough by the right individual. "Come on, Wrath, you wanted me out here, didn't you?"

"_In here._"

A hiss from an alleyway. Well, doesn't that sound pleasing? A dark passage where someone inhuman beckons you to join them. Wonder if he set up a delightful tea party?

I made sure that no one saw me enter the alleyway. It wasn't completely dark on my part; just dim. Burrowing deeper and deeper, I saw Wrath waiting for me. The young boy looked rather sharkish, if that was even a word; his teeth looked very sharp. I didn't know why I didn't notice that before. Another thing was I saw that his right arm and left leg were a different skin tone from the rest of his body. No wonder I didn't recognize him. I didn't know his original, significant features in the first place.

"Dante says you're a failure."

"Well, isn't that nice of her?" I sighed. Wrath's eyes narrowed.

"She says that you're a homunculus, yet she's lost the mind-chain she had with you. She also said that you should stop acting like a human. That means you can't love. It's not gonna work out anyway."

No wonder I didn't hear Dante anymore. At the last part of his statement, my eyes strained. "I think, being an artificial human, I still have the will to choose? And besides, you can't choose who you fall in love with. I never knew how much Edward could mean to me."

"Don't you get it? I could go and tell him that you're a homunculus! You think he'll like you then?" Wrath smirked. My eyes flashed with my newfound dislike for the boy. And why was I even discussing this with him?

"I don't care about him not loving me," I said, although it stung my heart. It was an invisible pain. "I only care about him being happy. He's made me happy with the time I've spent with him, so I should return the favour, even if it means with my life.

"I will no longer work for Dante, or with the homunculi. I won't kill Edward Elric."

I had doubted that I would have the strength to say those words, to finally rip myself free. However useless it was, I felt lighter. I did it.

Wrath tensed up, a snarl on his lips. How this came out of the boy that longed for motherly affection was unbelievable and disturbing. "Traitor!" he yelled at me. "How can you turn your back on us?!"

"If you had to kill Sloth, would you do it?!" I yelled back, bristling. "If Dante told you to? Would you kill your fake mother!?"

"She's not fake!" he roared, stamping his feet. I wasn't used to childish tantrums. I wanted to interrupt him and make him answer my question when he said. "She's** my **mother, not those stupid brothers'! Mine!"

I was silent, mouth slightly open. Then, "What did you say?" He clutched his head, having not heard me. Continued nonsense about his possession of Sloth. "What... brothers...?"

Something inside my head clicked. Of course, there were many brothers in the world. Brothers from a pair, to as many as nine, perhaps more. But the homunculi were closely linked with the Philosopher's Stone and alchemy itself, and what better people to practice alchemy than the practitioners? And however there may be alchemist brother unheard of to me, I could only think...

"Do you mean to say... Sloth is Ed and Al's mother?"

A nasty laugh escaped his throat. What, now he was bipolar? The child was much more deranged than I ever thought possible. "She's not their mother. She's mine! They were stupid to transmute her, it's their fault, so they don't get their mother. Too bad..."

I had thought she was currently living in Resembool, as Edward told me in the Central Library. She wasn't. Instead, I had met her in the depths of underground. No wonder she had a motherly look to her. Something inside me that I identified as empathy clutched my heart. Edward and Alphonse lost their mother. They tried to bring her back, but lost... their...

Of course. That's how Alphonse lost his body. He never told me how, after we returned from Laboratory 5. When he was explaining the origins, he was stumbling, and simply saying it was a 'huge accident' that caused it. In truth, it was human transmutation. Alphonse lost his body, and Edward lost his arm and leg.

Of which were before me...

"And those?" I pointed stiffly, not sure whether to point to the right arm or left leg. "Those are Ed's, aren't they? So you want to steal everything you can from Edward, do you?"

Wrath lifted Edward's rightful arm, smiling rather strangely. "I'll get the rest of it, too," he said sweetly, sickeningly sweetly. "Then mom can see me even more as a son."

It was a strange picture. I was imagining Edward whole, without the automail. I was angry, that he was searching for a way to get his limbs back, and they were lurking in the shadows the whole time, and yet, I also didn't feel like there was something lost at all. I loved Edward and his automail... I couldn't quite see him any other way. However, on his part — how he desperately wanted to get the Philosopher's Stone —, I felt like ripping and dismembering Wrath. But that, I considered, was not the best idea.

"We'll see," I said, lowering my arm. I turned to leave. "Will you tell Dante my message?"

"Who says you can just _leave_?" Wrath's tantrum returned. "You think I'm weak? I can do transmutations just like your Edward, without all that circle crap. Wanna piece of this? I should just kill you—"

"No, no." I turned my head to look over my shoulder, sighing. "Maybe I'm still a pawn for Dante yet. I'd say you should go and tell, _then_ have someone come for me."

"You're willing to wait until you die?"

I took a moment to regard this. Then I said this, as I left the alleyway;

"I'm willing to wait for the last fight."

Once I hit sunlight once more, I made my way back to the meat shop. Now I began to shake. Saying those words, accepting my fate... I didn't feel like a coward, and yet I was. I wondered how long it would take them... last time I saw Dante was in Central, so I could only assume twice the length of time from there to Dublith, faster if true homunculi run fast.

It seemed very short.

I realized that the sun was setting. When I passed through the gate and entered the house, the only one I saw was Izumi's husband, hacking away behind the counter. I politely inquired as to where the others were, and he merely pointed his menacing cleaver to a hill. Sure enough, I saw silhouettes against the grassy terrain and red-hued sky. I nodded in gratitude and left to join them. My spine still shivered.

By the time I approached, I heard Izumi's voice. It was low, and very angry. Reprimanding, demanding. Alphonse and Edward stood, and I saw how their heads were hung. They were ashamed. Of all the things, I knew Izumi, too, found out what happened to them. It was a coincidence that this was found out at nearly the same time, but through different sources.

I stopped, reconsidered going up there, and went back to the foot of the hill, where I sat down. Until this blew over, I'd wait for them. I'd wait for Edward to come to me, and perhaps tell me anything he wants me to know. I thought Wrath's words of Edward's love, implying it was poorly formed, way-over-our-heads. I decided that if he told me about his mother and taboo, he loved me more than that.

Soon enough, I heard them approach, tipped off by the hollow footsteps of Alphonse. I heard Izumi whisper something, and she walked past me toward the meat shop. She seemed weary. Alphonse followed.

"Did you enjoy your walk?" Edward said, seating himself next to me. I smiled bitterly.

"Didn't get much from it, I guess. I still feel lost."

"In what way?" He took my hand. Malice didn't even respond to contact anymore. I couldn't look him in the eye, fearing I might betray something.

"About... everything. Here I am, and I don't know what to do. Where to start. Where to stop. When to decide, when I find something, that _that_ was _me_, you know? Not to mention..." _How long I'm allowed to live._ "...nevermind. Maybe it's just me being in a different atmosphere...I don't know..."

Edward said nothing for a second, then sighed. "We'll help you the best we can. You'll see things, you'll see."

Like how I'd been seeing Cid, Rosalyn, and Tom? I wondered if I would see actual reality soon, instead of dream-like visions.

"What about you?" I ventured. When he stayed quiet, I laughed quietly. "I haven't asked you once about what you thought about things. You know... I'm here to listen. And I won't see you any different."

And that was true. Taboos, lying, keeping me in the dark. What fault did he have? Compared to me? Playing with his emotions, even having lost control of the game?

"...Urami... I, or we — me and Al—... we've been keeping something from you for a long time, how we lost our..."

I couldn't believe it. My childish bet against myself... his love for me...

He took a breath. It seemed he was reciting something for a second time. Obviously, since that was Izumi must have been so solemn about. I waited for him patiently. My heart was throbbing. He was actually telling me.

And he began. About his mother, collapsing from sickness and dying in her sleep, leaving behind child Edward and Alphonse. About their efforts in gaining knowledge of alchemy, of training with their teacher, of finally committing the act of human transmutation. The extra details were the repercussions, of Al losing his body, Ed his left leg, and a disgusting thing no longer their mother. What surprised me was that Ed didn't lost his right arm, but gave it up, in exchange of retrieving his brother's soul. I squeezed his hand tighter.

"I'm sorry, Urami. Our mother's not in Resembool, not for the past couple of years."

I shook my head, grimacing. "We didn't know each other TOO well, Ed. It's okay that you didn't want to tell me. The thing is now, you told me, and that's really all the matters. It makes me... very happy. And sad. I'm sorry for your and Al's loss."

He slid closer to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "I'm happy and sad, too," he whispered. "I've been wanting to tell you for a while now, but I was too scared of what you'd think. Then, it was only today that Teacher inspired me, gave me the courage. I don't think there's anything else that I'm keeping from you... things about Scar, the homunculi, though, you don't have to worry about them... just know that they're our adversaries."

_Hm, an adversary,_ I thought lowly. _I'm Edward's adversary._

Tears welled up in my eyes. I cursed inwardly when Edward noticed.

He was frightened of what I thought...? He tried to bring his mother back to life; anyone who was desperate for their loved one would do the same. I'm a homunculus that's fallen in love and gained love in return, with a person that doesn't know the truth. If he knew the truth, would he be understanding? No, he wouldn't. In all honesty, I wouldn't even forgive myself. He told me his inner secrets just now, which could only mean he actually meant his love. How could I doubt him? More importantly, how could I repay him, when it...? Would the bond be strong enough to withstand my... confession...?

"E-Edward... there's also something that I-I..."

I never felt so drowned, in a place with plentiful oxygen.

"...I've been k-keeping something from y-you for a...a long t-time..."

His arm stayed where it was, but he couldn't hide the stiffness that developed. He waited, I could almost feel his heart slow, as if he wanted to catch even the most gentle of whispers. I brought my hands together. My palms were sweaty under my gloves.

"I've been..."

I looked up into his eyes. That was my most grave mistake. I could just imagine the rage in those already-blazing. Even worse, I could imagine the hurt, reducing his brilliant golden eyes to dulled shades.

"I-I...I've..."

I buried my face in my hands. I failed.

He waited with me as I could not speak. His arm around me eliminated its stiffness and encircled me tighter. The warmth of his body did not soothe me, but caused me more grief. I didn't deserve him. Him nor his affection.

"It's alright, Urami," he breathed into my ear, resting his forehead against my hair. He kissed the side of my face softly, the part that my hands could not cover. "I'll wait for you. Don't be scared. Whatever it is, I'll stand by you."

You don't know how much that _dis_couraged me, though it was originally meant to _en_courage me. My heart threatened to rip itself into shreds. If I had a heart all this time...

I failed.

How genuine was my love for him? I wasn't worth his time. He made the effort and succeeded in loving me. But I...

I failed.

_End of Chapter_

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_A/N_

Yet again with a ultra-late update! Which rhymed.

I'm sorry for your intense waiting for my lazy arse getting this chapter written. And sorry that I didn't stuff in any explanations of last chapter for you (lots of people were confused I deduced, haha), but that will come in time.

I'm also sorry to tell you that I won't be updating again any time soon. I'll be taking part in NaNoWriMo (Nation Novel Writing Month), which needs me to write 50 000 words by the end of November. That's about 2 000 words a day. So it's only somewhere in December that you'll see Urami/Malice or any chapters. Again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I hope you can forgive me :c Well, if you want to read an FMA author, please visit **The Russian Roulette**; she's got a pretty entertaining fanfic coming along. And she updates often, so you won't be bored I assure you~

Well anyway, thank you so much for your reviews. They provide me with hope to return with a chapter after I gain my sanity back from NaNoWriMo. X'D

Love you all! I hope you enjoyed this chappie!

~Vixen


	14. Divide

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 14

If anyone was reading my story right now, I would just like to apologize at how pathetic and overly-emotional I am about all this. I felt as if I was the most miserable person in the world, and that was foolish thinking; people had it way worse. I was a puppet with her own strings for the time being and didn't know how to use them. I'd be sickened if I listened to a story about some loser that couldn't fix her problems, or build up the courage to say something.

It was all because of love. Or the imitation I had. Was it any good? Did it mean anything when I couldn't back it up? I was continuously feeling so torn about some petty human emotion.

"Edward."

Isn't it just a word?

"What is it, teacher?"

When can it be considered real and sincere coming from another's lips?

"How did you come to know Urami?"

Ed's was sincere. Ed's was real.

Hesitation. "I met her at a hospital after she was attacked."

Mine...

In comparison, mine was a poor attempt. If I said I loved something, it shouldn't be cherished, not as much as I cherished Edward's words so dearly.

I couldn't sleep, so I slipped down the steps silently, and I noticed that the lights in the kitchen were lit. Of course, Edward and Izumi were there. And I heard my name, so I didn't intrude in on them; I was both curious and wary of what I would hear. I neared the doorway, but not too close, and I leaned against the wall softly, resting the side of my face on the cool drywood. I had a feeling that Edward didn't think he had the right to tell our story, but I thought it okay, and would have said so if I didn't want to stay unnoticed.

"Where? In Central?"

"Yes. She was running from a homunculus, and it got her. Her shoulder was looking pretty bad when we got to her."

"And?"

"We brought her to the hospital. I don't know how it started, but me and Al liked Urami. We visited her everyday, and we brought her to places."

"Has she not a family, friends of her own?"

"See, we don't know. She lost her memory, and we've been trying to help her get it back."

"And you've brought her all the way to Dublith with you?"

"She said it sounded familiar to her, so we brought her with us. And even so, I wouldn't be able to leave her behind."

Izumi paused, most likely in deep thought. "You've changed a little, Edward," she said. There was a little joking sound to it.

"In what way?"

"You _are_ a rather serious boy when it comes to alchemy and finding the Philosopher's Stone, especially with what happened with your mother..." a momentary silence dragged slowly. "but I would never had thought you would actually get this serious with a young girl like her."

I could practically feel the heat of Edward's cheeks just by his voice. "O-Oh..."

"Well, I'm happy for you. At one time I assumed that your friend Winry would be the one for you, but I guess I was corrected."

_It will one day be Winry, _I thought. I dropped my eyes to the floorboards. _It will_.

"Winry is like our sister," Edward laughed softly. "Family. I don't think I'd be able to look at her in any other way."

"Of course, and you've met your match. Though, I have to say..." There was a pause, then she continued. "...she reminds me of a stranger I encountered, about a year ago."

"Yeah? How so?"

"Her eyes... there were very much like the girl that broke into this house."

My heart dropped significantly in shock. Now reminded, of my strange visions. No, this couldn't possibly...?

"A girl broke into your house?"

"A girl, and a boy. Hair, in fact, a lot like Urami's."

Black hair? Grey eyes? I hadn't made that connection before. My mind ran a mile a minute, and though I despised it I considered whether I was their _daughter_, Rosalyn's and Cid's. No... if the vision was real, the last one I had happened near a year ago, and I wouldn't be able to have a nearly-grown body like mine within that time-span. Besides, from where things were going, I was starting to think that I knew them, and that I interacted with them in my old life.

I didn't know whether or not to rejoice. My memories were coming back, and I could almost taste the truth.

"Why did they break into here?"

"They took my knives, but I wasn't entirely sure why. The girl... she shouted at me how despicable alchemists were, and how they aimed to fight one on their own. Heh," she chuckled ruefully. "I guess I can empathize with her hatred. I wanted to ask what alchemist she was referring to, but they escaped when I lost my strength."

She had coughed blood at the time, and they escaped. That concluded that my memories were returning.

"Did you ever see her or the guy again?"

"No. Not once."

I had turned my back and planned to go up the staircase, when that grave statement left the older woman's lips. Surely, it was a simple answer, saying she never saw them. But somehow, I got a feeling that...

Perhaps, something happened to them? Something... bad?

I needed to get to the truth.

* * *

I had woken up again, but this time the lights were all out. I was wide awake, and something in my mind just rumbled to life. I undressed and changed into my normal clothes, and I put on my shoes. I had no idea where I intended to go, but my head just said to get dressed. I crept down the stairs as quietly as possible and entered the kitchen, dark as it was. I recognized many things in there that I picked up earlier, though now placed in different positions during the year.

I needed to follow the memories.

Alright. There was a small light on. Where was it...? Near the entrance to the hallway. Yes, the lamp was still there. I went over to it and switched it on, but instead I improvised and set it to a dim level. I didn't want to wake anyone up...

There. Now, the counter. Obviously the knives that replaced the ones from a year ago perched on the hooks. I walked over cautious, eyes on the floorboards, then I turned around slowly. My eyes searched, my mind churned, and my will chanted some inaudible words of beckoning. It was here that I would move on. Come on...

Flashes of my latest vision returned to me. Me, running at Izumi with a knife posed to stab. Her, transmuting my bounds and rendering me helpless. Her dark eyes softening as mine clouded with frustration. Cid coming to my aid and Izumi coughing up blood. My... escape...

I turned slowly behind me to the window above the sink. This is what I left through. Slowly my hands reached up and unlocked the double-doors, and I swung them toward me, letting in a chilly, early-morning wind to caress and tease my spine. I stood on the balls of my feet to look over the sill, then down the path. The shadows beckoned me with treats of a past I didn't understand but yearned.

I climbed onto the countertop, then the sink, and finally hopped outside, landing in the gravel, though not as quietly as I hoped. Gravel was hard to manipulate to your advantage. The way in front of me was dark, but I saw the darkness whip past me as 'Rosalyn' ran to the river.

I followed her footsteps closely.

I never quite got lost. If I felt like I was close to, something, no matter what it was, put me back on track. I stain or burn on the wall, a certain building, a landmark, unique cracks and crevices that still remained in a year's time. These all helped me. As I drew to the outskirts of town, I couldn't help but feel as if I was watched, or followed. It was night, and no one was out, so how could anyone? Anyone _human_, anyway? If a homunculus was planning to kill me now, that was the least of my worries. It was an idiotic mentality, but I found my past more important than my life.

I reached the river. Finally, I reached the river that ended my vision. I ran heavily down the hill and stumbled to a stop at its edge, my shoes and pant-legs soaking up the running source. I gasped for air as I looked around hopefully, looking for another landmark to put me on the right path. But... that's where it ended. I couldn't go any further. My hope was gradually drowned by a deep frustration, having had my ticket snatched from my grasp. I groaned and fell to my knees, putting a hand to my eyes. Always, _always_, something didn't go my way. It wasn't fair.

I heard footsteps. Armoured. Oh, how I knew who was coming was so easy. My hands clenched the rocks below the riverbed as I ran my fingers through the sand. I knew the both of them had followed. How, and how they managed to get on my trail was beyond me, but I felt really frustrated.

"Urami? What are you doing?"

"I don't have time for this, Edward," I said tiredly. "You should be sleeping."

"So should you," he countered slowly. In my peripheral vision, they stood at the foot of the hill that I had descended. I ventured a look and saw Edward watching me sincerely, his eyes dulled in the dark from his usual liquid gold. He took a step toward me—

"Stay where you are," I growled. He stopped, and considered a behaviour he had never seen directed at him. "The both of you shouldn't have followed me."

"Disappearing into the night is a really curious thing, Urami. I should know where you are, so you don't get into any danger."

"What am I, some lost puppy to you? I can take care of myself."

Where had it gone? My precious memory... where... I needed it so badly... I used to not care, but now it had become a rabid obsession, and Edward was being a target of my bitterness, abused. Alphonse was about to say something but Edward held up a hand to him, signifying silence. He ventured another step, and my spine trembled with a quake of anger.

"You don't understand, do you?!" I shouted, getting to my feet, glaring at him heatedly.

"How do you expect me to understand when you don't explain it to me?" he shouted back. "Why can't you tell me? Is this about what you couldn't tell me earlier?"

His questions pestering me just pissed me off more. "Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand. No one would! _I_ don't even understand this myself, and I want you to just _leave_ so that I can figure it out!"

I trudged away, though I didn't know where to exactly. Despite that, Edward ran up to my form and grabbed my arm, encircling his metallic fingers around my forearm. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded. I refused to look at him, and tried to rip myself from his grip. He instead reinforced it and pulled me to another spot, which made me stumble. He glared at me a look of anger of his own. "Why is it that I feel like you're hiding something me?"

"Maybe it's because I am?" I blurted sarcastically, and I regretted having those words leave my lips. I had to escape from him, and fast. "You'll find out eventually, and it'll hurt you as much as it will to me..."

"What do you mean—?"

The words I had planned to follow that stalled on my tongue. That... stone wall... it was almost enshrouded in the cover of the trees, and I could only see it because of the little light that the town of Dublith provided with the streetlights. In my mind, I saw myself running toward it. Behind it there was a dirt path.

Yes. Another...

I leapt in the general direction, as if the scene would disappear from my eyes. I had forgotten that Edward had a hold on me, and he tried to pull me back. Something inside me snarled and when I faced him again, I hurled my left fist at his cheek. The blow stunned him, both by pain and surprise, and he let go of me. His brother shouted in alarm, Edward fell back into the water, and I ran for the stone hedge.

Half-way to the landmark I heard a clap, and under my feet I felt the energy of a transmutation. I ran faster in hopes of outrunning whatever Edward planned to catch me by, and soon I realized that even the ground beneath my heels was starting to morph and change shape. But then, at the moment I felt as if the ground would consume me, the ground became as it was abruptly, and I stumbled with my loss of adaptability. I looked back, and at a certain boundary, I saw the ground that Edward had transmuted. Irregularly, the ground I stood on was untouched.

"What happened?" Al asked, confused. Edward cursed.

"My alchemy doesn't work there! What the hell? Did an alchemist do this?"

Another alchemist. Not Edward, Alphonse, Izumi... another.

The Alchemist that _they_ wanted to fight.

I turned on my heel and continued to the stone hedge, and once arriving, there it was. The dirt path. Adrenaline rushed through my blood as the running in my memory quickened the pace. I knew where I was going.

"Urami, stop!!"

I was reminded that Edward could do many things without alchemy, so I wasted no time and I ran into the undergrowth.

He could not fit in with my existence. I could not fit in with his existence.

We could not fit.

"Turn your back on the demon, Edward!" I warned him. "It's not worth it!"

"I don't see any demon!" he resisted my warning. "Urami, listen to yourself, you're not—"

"Right in the mind? Not okay? Yeah, you're right. I'm not. Which is why you should leave me, and never look for me again. Forget me, Edward! You have your bodies to restore! You have a _life!_" My voice cracked. No; this was NOT what I wanted. I wanted to come out as harsh and ruthless as possible, not cry.

I wanted to ruin and destroy this bond we had. It was painful, agonizing, but I felt it was better than the pain that would come later if I let things be. When the homunculi would come for me, he would be far away, and not know what had happened to me. He wouldn't care, if he would co-operate with my plan, and so he would not feel pain. I should be the one to feel it, until I die in the hands of my kin. I would find my past, then take on death to end my misery that was broken love.

He kept calling my name. It wasn't even mine, and I wished he'd stop. I followed the terrain that my feet knew, and soon the path turned into the wilderness no one tread. I tripped at one point, and scraped my knees, but I got back up again, hearing them. They still couldn't do alchemy, so this meant that I was in the right area.

I doubted myself when the trees ended and I was met with a valley of thorns at the mountain's face. I did not see nor consider where the hell I was suppose to go next, and I was soon going to be in the mercy of my pursuers. Then, another vision of crossed my mind, conveniently, and I acted upon it, going in-sync with it. By the moon's light, I saw.

_I followed Cid into the thorns, brushing the stems away as carefully as my haste allowed, and I made it to the base of the rock. I found nothing at first, but that was to be expected somehow. Cid led the way, and he soon came to another large undergrowth, and underneath it, surprisingly, was a door well hidden. He grabbed its ring-like knob and wretched it up, holding it for everyone else to get through._

By the time Edward and Alphonse got to the edge of the forest and valley of thorns, I had found the aged door, and I slipped under it, closing it behind me quietly.

I gasped for air in the darkness, and I tried my utmost hardest not to break my composure. Edward... oh I wished I didn't have to do that... I was starting to regret it, thinking about going up there, but there was no turning back... After building up my composure again, I considered the darkness that I dwelled in. It was still earth I felt beneath my feet, and the smell was dense with what I identified as roots. When I ventured further through, hands guiding me along the wall, I indeed felt hanging roots brush my face, and the roof was lower. Unable to see, I was tempted to go back, but I urged myself forth.

I bumped my head on a wooden surface, and after a moment of my cursing under my breath and rubbing the sore spot, I felt for it with my fingers. There it was, another door. I searched for a doorknob, and upon finding none, I cautiously pushed it, and it budged. I needed more force, and I heaved it up for enough time for me to get under and out. It swung back down when I looked at my surroundings.

I was in the village. The village of my memory.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

A/N: Hello friends~~ -hand gesture-

After a long absence, I am back! Geez, I should quit updating things when I should be studying for something... by that logic, you guys will get updates because I'm procrastinating on my studies. Because I love you all so much. DON'T YOU FEEL SPECIAL HELPING ME FAIL?? lol, kidding XD

Holy jeez, I did not expect this to happen this early. Probably next chapter but I guess I shouldn't complain, it's progressing steadily. :3 Finally Malice starts losing her mind and getting more interesting! No more "I want but I can't! T.T" emo stuff. Haha, sorry. Next chapter I hope things will get steadily clearer and more exciting!! :D

Thanks for reading! And I'd like to thank everyone for your reviews. They really do make a difference you know. ^^ If you find any typos or errors, let me know! I'm looking forward to your inputs and thoughts for this story so far!

Much love!

Vixen


	15. Near

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 15

The village looked more ragged than before... it had full access to the sky, so the elements must have aged it. From where I was standing, the whole area, probably miles in diameter, was surrounded by stone from the mount, in a ring. Only if someone climbed this mountain, or flew over it in some means, would they see this valley sort of place. Even so, the canopy of the forest around the buildings weaved itself above to the roofs slightly, so from afar, people would only assume a forest. What if outsiders lingered in the forest and discovered the village? I would only assume that they would be killed, and assumed lost hikers in their hometown.

It was such a high spirit-lifting moment, being where I was. No people were present, still asleep even as night closed her eye and the sky got lighter, but it felt lively to me. I was home, and I temporarily disregarded the fact that it was a sorry excuse for a home. Some aspects of it were slowly becoming familiar to my eye, and I hungered for more details to see, memorize, and remember. I walked slowly to the shadowy paths, and I briefly noted that the temperature was dead-cold, and I wondered when I would start reacting to it; right now, my mind had no room to acknowledge it.

I walked on for what seemed like a good ten minutes when I came to what I assumed was the central square, looking like a public place to hold local announcements. There was the podium, a stage only a step high, and behind all of this lined an arch. On this arch were rope nooses, where traitors and trespassers were condemned to suffocation. The Gallows... didn't Tom say something about it, checking if their friend and temporary mother was here? At least it was something that I considered 'closer' to the truth, if anything. I liked the feeling of picking up the pieces and managing to piece them together. However, I was still far from done.

Speaking of Tom... that's right. The river. That little shack. Would it still be there? Would anyone be there, I wondered? A year was a pretty long time for something as rundown as that to stay intact, let alone inhabitable. I needed to check it out for myself. I felt excited inside; what would I find? I found that my hope was rising, and I tried to beat it down with the possibility I wouldn't find anything; it would not be much of a fall then.

I turned on my heel and let my body wander, in doing so letting my innermost remembrance come to life and guide me. The sky lightened gradually, and I thought I heard stirring in the homes I passed. I kept to the most shadowy parts of the paths, so that they didn't see me, an intruder, and try and put a noose around my neck.

I heard running water, and lo and behold, I saw a river. But no shack. I went closer to it, to inspect it, and noticed it was indeed very dirty... I frowned, looking around, and looking down the way the water flowed, I was contented to see the small building I was looking for, down further. Each time I found something, I felt like realizing all of this existed all over again. It was a wonderful feeling.

I ran toward it at a great speed, hardly patient enough to take my time in approaching it. I arrived at its entrance, and heard nothing. No real sound, so maybe they were asleep. I was surprised none stirred to the sound of my beating heart outside their home; that's how excited I was, being so close. My fingers trembled with ecstasy as I reached to draw back the curtain they used as a door, and once grasping it, I just stood and cherished it. After that, I budged it a little, then carefully slipped inside.

The air was thick with earth and unwashed odour. As far as I could see, no one was there. It was empty.

My heart dropped, and I sighed. Where were they? I needed my answers... all I had here was a poor excuse for a kitchen, with food rations here and there, some started, some leftovers. Though I sort of noticed... that it seemed a lot more tidier than a group of kids would typically make. It looked like... a mess only one person could make. I looked among the things I saw strawn about; books of all sorts, boy articles of clothing, and some other things, which I assumed were keepsakes. I saw one to be a pocketwatch, and I picked it up, running my thumb over the cover. My eyes saddened; it was very similar to Ed's.

I heard a rumble and I whipped around, watch in hand, and I narrowly dodged a weapon swiped at my head. I retreated back but hit the wall, and my hands leapt up to my eyes to shield from the sudden brightness of a small lantern.

"W-Who're you?" a boy said, as if attempting to sound strong and authoritative but failing. He held some sort of two-by-four in one hand, posed in front of him like a barrier of distance, and the lantern quivered. I blinked my eyes and took a gander at his appearance. He was _small; _he was taller than me, and he was of clear younger age, but he had hardly any meat at all. His voice sounded familiar, too, and I had a feeling...

"Tom?"

I saw his eyes widen, and he backed away faster than I had, and as a result, he tripped backwards, and the lantern crashed and blew out. Considering I was still adapted to the dark, I saw his form fumbling blindly in the darkness, cursing to himself. Out of pity, I went up to him and set a hand on his shoulder, to which he flinched, and waited for whatever he thought I was going to do to him. All I did was help him back on his feet.

"Sorry for scaring you," I said, smiling a smile he couldn't see. "I'm not a thief, don't worry. I was... just visiting."

"How do you know my name?" he asked cautiously. He distanced himself from me when he was on his own feet, then I saw him brush himself off. I tilted my head patiently, and restored the watch back on the table.

"I don't know. That's why I'm here. Where are the others?"

"Others?" He sounded genuinely surprised. "What... others...?"

"The other kids who were living here. Are they on some sort of raid? Where are the young ones?"

"I-I think you've been mistaken. Nobody's lived here for a year other than me," Tom said hastily, and I saw his profile every now and then, meaning he kept looking at the entrance. Perhaps he wanted to escape? "I think you better leave."

I furrowed my brows, and I came closer to him. He took this in alarm. "I've come this far, with great _sacrifice_," I said through clenched teeth. "I'm not leaving until I find out who I am. _You're_ the one who's going to tell me, Tom."

I saw his arm linger up a little, in front of his chest. He repeated the first thing he had said to me. "Who are you?"

Urami.

Malice.

"I don't know my name. Please, Tom. Help me."

I didn't want my voice to come out as weak and defenseless as it did — after all, it made my dangerous mood look bad —, but somehow Tom took the time to consider it hesitantly. He looked outside, and things were starting to get brighter. I could see his face better. He looked back at me, then climbed out of the shack. I followed him, and once we were both standing outside, he turned to me. I saw his light eyes widen, and his mouth drop.

"Mar..."

I tilted my head, and I was kind of alarmed to see him sway on the spot.

"M-Mar..."

He collapse forward onto his knees and I leapt to his side. What the hell was wrong with this kid? Malnourished of course, but what, could my looks really kill? That would be rather unfortunate in this circumstance... He looked up at my face again, then he grabbed me and buried himself into my stomach, crying. I was bewildered at this sudden forward approach, and stared dumbly at his unkept hair and at his fingers clenching the edge of my shirt.

"Margaret..." he moaned with either despair or joy (you'd think it'd be easy to tell, but here it was very difficult). "Margaret..."

I rested my hand on his head and caressed him a little, still feeling rather awkward. But then, some maternal feeling rose from within me, some _force_ opposite of my malice that cancelled it out, and I comforted him, his head on my lap, as he cried. He was still a child, even living by himself for over a year.

My name... is Margaret?

"Is that who I am?" I whispered to him questioningly when his sobs silenced slightly. "Is my name Margaret?"

He looked at me with irritated-red eyes, then dropped his gaze. "You look so much like her..."

My breath ceased.

Look...? What does that mean?

"But... you're not her..."

"Stop beating around the bush..." I started. "Why am I not Margaret?"

"Y-your eyes and hair are all wrong. And your hands. And there's a lot of other st-stuff. But there's still something that re...reminds me of her."

I looked away from and over him, considering the sun that was starting to peak over the rocky wall of the mountain's ring. How pointless... he had cried in my lap as if it were some tearful reunion, when it turned out I'm not her at all. He crept off eventually and I stood up, brushing off my pants bitterly. He got up, and I looked at him gravely.

"Will you tell me about what happened to Margaret?" I asked plainly. He rubbed his eye, staring at the ground. Silence. I tried with a different question. "Will you tell me about what happened to the other children? Cid, Rosalyn? And where's Cecilia?"

He flinched every time that I said those names, and he looked on the verge of breaking down again. His mouth opened and closed, and he blinked a lot. I expected nothing more from him, and that made me sigh. I turned and planned to depart. Well... at least I know the one all of them was worrying about, the one the Alchemist took, was named Margaret. I wondered where I would look now—

"They..."

I stopped, but I didn't turn. I waited, anxiously...

"They were killed by the Alchemist. All of them."

I didn't expect it to hit me so hard.

_Killed._

_KILLED!_

I had expected something more in-depth! To have their story end so _suddenly!_ The anger I felt was strong, and it triggered another memory, but a painful one. A scream tore from my throat, accompanied with my hands shooting up to my head. My spine craned as I screeched something incomprehensible. I was slightly aware that I fell back, my back connecting with the earth, then I felt someone drag me by the foot somewhere, somewhere dark, and they tried to muffle my pain. I soon lost acknowledgement of that.

_I beckoned Rosalyn along, silently, as we stood in the dark. She kept to the wall closely, the rest of our family following after her. I held a knife to my eye, and I looked forward ahead of me. Dark tunnels, but I saw the outline of a door, the crack at the bottom releasing the soft glow of light. I ran for it with stealth and silence._

_I opened the door, and found a large, round room, almost vacant. This was the Alchemist's transmuting room... I noticed all the circles, lines —dark brown, rusty lines—, and documents that scattered around the room... then my eyes drew to the centre. There..._

"_Margaret..." I moaned, my knife hand lowering in despair. She lay sprawled on her back, with her chest torn open and blood long dried. Her green eyes had darkened into a dead stare, her face frozen with her last moments; moments of fear and agony. Her dark-brown hair had soaked in the blood around her, dyed crimson and caught in the thick paste. Her organs were mercilessly smeared on the ground._

_The rest of us behind me followed, and they, too, responded with soft cries of mourning and disbelief. I had... never considered... that he would actually __**kill**__ her... my anger only grew tenfold, and my hand clenched around the knife. Rosalyn's anger before was for the wrong person. I was going to take hers, combine it with my own and show that despicable bastard my wrath._

"_Cid!" Rosalyn screamed, and suddenly a spiraling knife, that came out of no where, protruded into my shoulder. I cried out in pain and stumbled to my knees, feeling the light weight of the knife handle above me. There were thundering foot-beats, and grown men came out of the hidden areas of the room and rushed us. From what I saw, many of my family rushed them back, shouting battle cries with tears for their lost mother, the fire of revenge in their voices. Rosalyn came to my side, and her head went to every perspective to take on anything that would come her way. After ensuring temporary safety, she took the liberty of ripping the knife from my shoulder. I got into a crouch and thanked her, then together we joined the fray._

The pain I felt...

The anger I experienced...

The _hate_ that I fed...

These were real.

_We lost. They had overtaken us, taken away our weapons, and shoved us to the ground headfirst. I was losing blood and growing weak, and I had little strength to fight back now. When my face was pressed harshly against the ground, I noted that the lines painted on the ground for the transmutation circle was dried blood too... if this was Margaret's blood... that __**fucking **__bastard...!_

"_Well well! Isn't this touching?"_

_Someone applauded from the shadows, and soon the owner stepped out. I couldn't see his face directly, which enraged me; my captor kept my head too closely pressed to the ground, at an angle that my peripheral vision was useless. I would see his shoes though. Stepping through my mother's entrails. How that PISSED me off! I saw him crouch in front of me, and even here, I could only see his disgusting smirk._

"_Did you expect to save this whore you cherished so? She tried to steal water from me, and I don't take too kindly to thieves. Would you? She wasn't perfect...but..."_

What...?

_His lips had moved with more words, but I could not understand, or hear them._

This happened so quickly, with no transition whatsoever...

_My captor picked me up ruthlessly, still allowing me no chance to get a look at the Alchemist's features, and shoved me down to the ground again, and I noticed this to be a point of the transmutation circle. Rosalyn was crushed in a similar point, as were all the others..._

Everything was growing fuzzy...

_I knew the Alchemist was planning something, as he retreated out of the circle and out of my sight. I heard additional screams, and I managed to look to the entrance, and to my horror, there was Tom, struggling. Cecilia was in the hands of another thug, shrieking. I roared, swearing at them, "Leave here alone!", and fighting against my captor. He only struck me into the ground again, and I felt more of the metallic liquid seep into my mouth..._

No... not yet... I was so close...!

_Blue electricity_.

My limbs froze mid-thrash, and then they collapsed down to the dirty ground again. I panted, eyes strained so much I could feel the air's pressure on them, and I could analyze any cobweb closely on the ceiling. Tom sat next to me, frightened, having put his hands over my mouth and forehead. He seemed relieved when I had stopped making noise, and he took his hands away, wiping his own forehead. I sat back up, stared at nothing for a few seconds, then struck the ground harshly, making Tom flinch. I ground my teeth.

"More, more, and more!" I snarled. "I get more and I can't make sense of it!"

Tom seemed confused at my sudden reaction. I turned to glower at him, then reminded myself that he had not really done anything to wake me up... it was more of my own drifting that refrained me from achieving the REAL truth. I was _so close..._ My glower softened into a normal stare, then I closed my eyes and pressed my face into my hands. I smelled the earth, and it soothed me.

"Sorry for scaring you," I mumbled, and I heard him mumble back something like, "It's okay...". I slowly rolled onto my heels onto my feet, hunching under the roof a little, then climbed out of the burrow again. He followed closely obediently, even though I had not ordered him anything yet. I only commanded.

"Tom."

He would not tell me the truth. He was too frightened and emotionally-scarred to retell it himself.

"Y-Yes?"

There was only one other thing that I knew that would benefit and endanger me at the same time.

"Tell me... where I can find the Alchemist."

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N Notes_

Hello everyone! It's winter break, and I managed to get you guys a chapter out to start off our relaxing vacation ^^ More memories, more connections, and the suspense is rising. I can't wait to write next chapter :3 I hope to make it a very epic one. Urami is very close, so close that _I_ can taste it too. It's delectable X3 Haha, well, I hoped you enjoyed that chapter! And I hope not too many of you are confused ;)

Love you! You know I love to hear what you think, so don't hesitate to review! -heart-

Vixen


	16. Entrance

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 16

Edward stared numbly at the wall of thorns and rock. He looked and looked for her... but couldn't find her. She didn't have anywhere to go in the thorns, so how could she have disappeared? And why did their alchemy have no power here in this area? This tortured his mind; he was a logical thinker, and having his logic collide with this nonsense of logic — disappearing just out of thin air — made his head hurt.

And her disappearance in general made his heart ache.

"Urami..." he said softly in confusion and despair. "What went wrong?"

"Brother," Al said patiently, and he gazed at the grounds they lost her in. "Let's go back. Maybe Teacher knows something about all of this."

"Maybe..."

Edward was reluctant to leave this place, as if leaving it would verify that he's left her, that he'd given up on her. He didn't want that to come across. If anything, Urami left _him, _for whatever reason that she had. She had this insane look in her eye, something he'd never seen before. And the pain... that was too much. He realized that something in her mind was tormenting her to no end, and he didn't know why he hadn't realized it sooner. Of all the times she acted strange, or secluded, or generally how torn up and sensitive she was with things she struggled to tell him. He wanted to help her, no matter what it was.

He finally turned to his brother and nodded, stepping into the forest again, feeling his back develop gooseflesh. He looked over his shoulder. No secret door opened when they weren't looking. No great gate, beckoning.

* * *

Tom refused to lead me to the Alchemist, as if his fears got the better of him. As we stood at the riverside in the oncoming dawn, I asked him plainly where I could find him. He was quiet for the few moments that we stood there. I looked at him patiently with determined eyes, and asked again, a little more forcefully, and he took a deep breath. The Alchemist lived on the north side, in a deep, wide hole, where the river stopped in a pool after a drop to travel over. He told me that the ground was uneven and the walls were steep, and since this was so, no one was able to escape so easily. I asked him to lead me, but he only stared at me dumbly, as if I asked him to walk to Death himself with me. So I left him behind.

I decided to walk around the village this time. People were stirring, the light was brightening, and as far as I knew, the side was much more secretive to use than the front. The trees were my friends as I stepped over their roots, their leafy curtains shielding me, an intruder. I was following the river with my eyes, as it swiveled and dipped. I looked ahead and soon saw its end, where it plummeted over an edge. That was it... I saw rocks and all matter of soil cluttered at the edge, having the water run over it forcefully to be free. I realized that this was a sort of filter for the water. So the Alchemist had some smarts other than destroying and creating to his benefit, and provided himself with the cleanest water in the area.

Before I reached the edge I fell onto my hands and knees, then eventually lowered myself to my stomach in an army crawl. I peeked down, and there I saw something that seemed out of place. In a ditch, I saw a mansion. What a luxury to have, in a village of filth. The water from the river dived and gathered in a pool at the bottom, a ring of stone to collect it. There was a pulley at the front wall of the ditch, facing the door, and I realized that that was the only real means of climbing in and out. A path lead from this to the front door, an extravagant-looking piece of work, with carvings of lions and griffins. The windows were dark.

I hesitated with the walls, looking down. I ventured a hand and felt the side, finding some means of support and grip. After a breath, I twisted my body around so that my feet went first. I fumbled around until I found a good foothold, then I lowered myself, and repeated. I tried to go fast, because I didn't like my back to my destination over this prolonged period of time, but I didn't want to fall and break something. When I reached the bottom I quickly escaped the light and hid behind a crate that he had untouched.

I studied the exterior of the house, ways of getting inside. The front door was obvious. Windows, I'd rather not smash and announce my entrance. Perhaps there was a back door, for his servants? As if on cue, such a door reached my mind. Another memory to give me a hint. I looked for it, but didn't see one on my side, so I resulted to getting ready to sprint around the home, scaling the sides until I found it. I leapt out.

"Found you," I breathed once the deed was done. It was metal, I noted, and would prove troublesome to open. But when I rested my hand on it, something sung. I heard it in the metal, and in me. It was a peculiar feeling, a little similar to the feeling I had riding the train, or touching Edward's metallic arm. It was a soothing feeling, and I pressed my face against the door, closing my eyes. I hummed the note it invited me with. Something clicked inside, and when I reached the doorknob and twisted, it was unlocked, and it swung slightly inward. Maybe I should have checked the doorknob in the first place...

But I couldn't help but consider that maybe, metal was my friend. That brought me comfort, despite it having no personifications whatsoever.

* * *

Izumi was chopping some meat by the time the brothers arrived. She gave them a puzzling look, glanced at the ceiling, then back. "I thought you were still in bed... why do you look so ragged?"

"Urami ran for it," Edward said, perplexed. He shook his head in a simple jerk, and he blinked at the floor. "She's gone, and we can't find her."

"Why did she leave? When did you leave the house?"

And so they explained. They heard footsteps in the house sometime in the early hours, and when they went to investigate, they found the kitchen window open. Everything else seemed undisturbed. Edward had gone up the steps and upon passing Urami's temporary room he found it vacant. At once they dressed and pursued her, finding her at a river. They further explained their confrontation, the absence of alchemy, and her disappearance in the woods. Izumi's eyes narrowed slightly at the key points.

"What exactly did Urami say to you?" she addressed Edward. His gaze fell to the ground again as he remembered.

"Like I said, she was very angry, and dodgy. She told me that she had something she needed to figure out alone, and that she was hiding something from me, though I think she didn't mean to tell me that last part. She said it would hurt me if I knew."

"Sounds like a very big, personal truth she's been hiding," Izumi whispered, then sighed. "And the fact you couldn't use alchemy? I haven't gone past the river in that direction, so maybe it's time that I take a look. And lead me to this thorn valley she disappeared into."

"You'll help us find her?" Edward said hopefully. Izumi smiled softly at this. He appeared like the older brother (but still a child) she once taught long ago. She nodded, and she left to get ready. Alphonse looked at him.

"Urami called herself a demon. What do you think she meant?"

"I don't know," Edward sighed, closing his eyes. "Maybe it's something she's done that's been bothering her, and that she's afraid that we would judge her. That _I_ would judge her. We transmuted our mother, a disgusting attempt and sin, a downgrade for our mother, but she accepted it. Why wouldn't I accept what she has in store for us?"

"But it doesn't make sense," his brother said. "She also said she had something to figure out... no, wait! She must have remembered something from her past, and she's too shy to tell us?"

Edward didn't say anything.

Somehow, he felt like that theory was wrong.

* * *

_There are many reasons to call oneself a demon. A few would include:_

_Having done something grotesque and horrible in the past. Edward partly assumed only this possibility._

_Doing something grotesque and horrible still. Urami felt like she was doing this to him._

_And finally, something very obvious._

_Not being human._

_Wasn't that truth enough?_

* * *

It was very quiet in the mansion, I noticed. Not a soul I could hear or see. Were they late sleepers? I had no clue, but for the time being I was relieved that I didn't have to sneak around too often. I would look around corners of corridors for extra precaution, but nothing was too nerve-wracking. The only thing that really took my mind was the familiarity. I was following Cid's footsteps, and I could practically feel the children behind me, silent and stalking.

At one time, I thought I felt an energy current somewhere. In the wall I touched, in the air that caressed me in this wide space. At first I thought it was the electrons in the power lines having a sudden burst, but it felt familiar, too. It reminded me of Edward a little. Perhaps it was alchemy...?

This made my progress in the corridors freeze. The Alchemist must be awake. That devil was awake, and he was somewhere, transmuting something. This thought both disgusted me and frightened me. My nerves were on edge now. The childrens' murderer was somewhere, and I was no doubt going to have a confrontation with him. "Calm down," I told myself, and I straightened myself, looking ahead. "I'm here to talk. If he tries anything... I'll kill him. I'm not human, and he is. I can kill him."

It was funny how I disregarded the fact that he could easily use alchemy to kill me. I didn't know if homunculi could die yet.

* * *

"So it was around here?"

Alphonse nodded. They were at the wall again, studying the mountain's face. Izumi clapped her hands together in that prayer-like formation, but no power flowed through her being. She looked at the rock again.

"Maybe this is where the alchemist is."

"What alchemist?"

"Remember that story, with the children that broke into my home last year?" She turned to the elder Elric. "The girl, she spoke of an alchemist. Only an alchemist can make this kind of interference; I don't know how, but it has been done."

"Somewhere... here?" Alphonse asked. She nodded. Her eyes looked deep into the thorns.

"Did you check where Urami might have slipped to?"

"I went in there, but I didn't find anything..." Edward said, and he tilted his head. He was having second thoughts. "I'll check again."

And so he went in, crouching, using his automail arm to sweep away the dark vines, until he came to the rock. Like before, he didn't see anything special. His muscles ached; he hadn't slept well, and running in the dark without the reward of sleep did not agree with his body. He tried looking very hard at the places he was not looking in the right place for, and it was only when he turned away in discouragement did the undergrowth closely linked to the wall interested him. It was the only spot, with moss climbing up and seemingly lacing with the rock itself. He ducked his head down to avoid the malicious stems above as he ventured to it and inspected it. He leaned lower, and there. A wooden surface. He hastily removed some of the leaves and roots, and he almost smiled with triumph.

"I found it!"

The others joined him there as he opened it, and he dropped inside. Al almost couldn't fit, but he managed to fit in without getting stuck; he had to go onto his hands and knees. They went into the darkness and walked closely together until they came to another door. Edward pushed it open, and he was in daylight again. They discovered the village up ahead, almost enshrouded and lost in the trees. They stayed still and unnoticed in the outskirts, by the underground door that lead them here. They were in awe; an establishment, like this, right beside Dublith.

They heard a noise from the side, and they braced themselves to see a skinny, frail boy, younger than Alphonse but not by much, dressed in dirty rags. He looked at them in surprise, and a little with anxiety. Izumi stepped toward him, but he considered this harmful and stepped back. He looked ready to sprint to the village and yell out an alarm.

"We're not here to hurt you, or anyone," she said softly. She noticed the sadness in his eyes return, and then she asked, "What's wrong?"

"There was someone like you, who came here," he said in a small voice. Edward's breath hitched, and he shared a look with his brother. "But she went to a very dangerous place, and I think she will die. I feel like I sent her to her death..."

"Where is she?!" Edward blurted out, stepping forward. The boy stepped back in greater alarm, and Izumi gave him a harsh look. He ignored it, only having his golden eyes set on the boy. "Why do you think she'll die?"

"Sh-She's gone to the Alchemist. To get some 'truth', she told me. I-I swear."

The boy did not say what was so dangerous, but it was just so obvious. This alchemist they spoke of was closely-linked to this, nameless as he was. And by the look of things, he was no good. Edward did not like the thought of Urami facing a man everyone here feared and hated alone. But then, why did she have to go to another alchemist for the truth? Couldn't she asked Izumi, or himself? Teacher was an elder alchemist. Suddenly, Edward had to remind himself that that was not the case. Urami wouldn't go to another alchemist for a simple question about alchemy, history, or anything Edward himself would ask. What she had to ask was something personal to herself. She's figured out things of her past and she's dying to get the answer.

Now he understood.

But still understood so little.

"Take us to the Alchemist," Edward demanded, approaching the kid until he was right in front of him. The boy looked at him, eyes wide. That was a feat he had refused before, and he wanted to do so again. But something in those eyes told him that he needed to help the boy opposite of him.

And so Tom nodded his head.

* * *

The door was ahead of me, at last. I was a little afraid of what lay beyond it. Would I find more bodies? Would Margaret's bones be sprawled in the middle, with a little flesh still in the middle of decomposing? Such thoughts haunted me, made the memories I had by the riverside prod my brain, but I reassured myself that whatever I would find, I could take. I was not a coward when it came to facing this kind of fear. The only thing that sucked out my courage was daring to tell Edward the truth. I went up to the door, observing its texture, then finally resting my hand on the knob, not yet twisting it. My heart was beating in my ears, my lungs ceased to expand and I felt like I was holding my breath when I wasn't. I forced myself to breathe, then I opened the door, pouring in the light of torches.

The round room was as large as it was in my memory, and nothing had changed that much. To my relief, the ground was clean of any bodies. I did, however, noticed the dark stain in the middle of the never-ending circles carved in the ground, as well as painted in the same, dark substance. It looked fresh. I didn't smell the iron smell of blood, but I knew that that was what it was. I felt strange, walking slowly on this, but at the same time, my malice enjoyed it.

For once, I was reminded of what I was with the very thing that I was. Malice.

Upon almost reaching the middle of the room did I stop, my echoing footsteps ceasing. I considered the torches, the shadows, the dark stains of the past, and I wondered what I was to do now. If I waited for some other memory to spark, I would be disoriented and vulnerable, and anyone could just take advantage and end me. That would be a wasted trip...

My eyes snapped to the shadows up ahead as a figure stepped out from behind a column. I had noticed a desk full of books and documents there in the shadows before, but I didn't consider anyone standing by it. But then again, I felt a transmutation a few moments ago, and it would make sense that he was in here. Though his features were dark to me, I saw his head tilt and a puzzling line take over his lips. He walked out of the darkness and crossed his arms. He had his ebony hair pulled back into a ponytail, which ends didn't even touch his shoulders, and something was in his hair that made it shine more than regular washed hair. Dark green eyes considered my form in his transmutation room behind oval-rimmed spectacles. He was a tall, lean figure, dressed in casual attire, such as jeans and a dress-shirt. It was tough to link 'alchemist' to _this._

"How did you get in here, brat?" he said curiously. Calling me a brat reminded me of Envy at my first meeting with the homunculi and Danté, so I glared at him in response.

"_How_ doesn't matter," I responded cooly, raising my chin up and looking at him with hooded eyes. "_Why_ is more appropriate."

He blinked at me, taken back that I wouldn't act like a child but rather a young adult, if not a full adult. His lips closed and he forced a half-smile. "Alright then. _Why_ did you get in here?"

"The truth. I've come to collect it."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what truth you speak of," he told me, and I heard the mockery laced in his words. "Perhaps it's the Truth beyond the Gate that interests you?"

It hurt me to remember myself in Edward's arms as he told me about his and Alphonse's attempt of human transmutation. He only mentioned briefly about the Gate, and how unlimited amounts of knowledge flowed into his head, until he met Truth, who took his left leg from him, and later his right arm. I frowned and shook my head.

"This truth, only you can provide."

A nasty smile touched and influenced his features. "Well, now I feel _very_ special. Is it that you want to become my apprentice?"

I grew tired of his guessing. "I want the truth of what you had done a year ago. With a girl named Margaret, and the children that tried to save her."

His smile faltered, then his eyes dilated, giving the impression that he had taken some sort of depressant drug or alcohol. He looked impaired. "Ah."

I was alarmed and enraged that he started to walk over to me, forward, as if it wasn't anything at all. As if he was a prince, and he could do whatever he pleased. My body stiffened, but it would not respond in the way I wanted it too. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was biding its time. Maybe it knew that if I cooperated the truth would come forth sooner. He stopped in front of me, then his hand touched my face, and he inspected me. Malice reared up its head from its long slumber, confused at the situation it found itself it. In confusion, it rebuked. I slapped his hand away, stepped away from him and touched my face with the same hand protectively.

"Well well," he mused, tilting his head. I didn't like the grin that he bore then. "You weren't a failure after all."

"So you created me, did you?" I growled. It was obvious, coming to the start of all this. Of course he created me. His teeth bore whiter as he laughed to himself.

"I succeeded in human transmutation and suffered no consequence," he purred, triumphant. A giggle left his lips. One hand went up to stroke his sharp chin and he smiled to himself. "All of the higher Alchemists, all that have a name; they would never be able to do it. Ha. I have no status and fame in the real world, but I soon will! The Alchemist who escaped Truth's trade!"

"Shut up, idiot!" I shouted, and he stopped. He slowly and gradually took me serious as I continued; "I sincerely don't care what phenomenal feat you've just done, but let me tell you that your_ creation_ is in no mood to celebrate with you, or help you. Tell me who I am, before I kill you."

His head tilted once more, and he pressed a finger to his lips in thought, a playful smile on his lips. "You see, little puppet," he said slowly, making my teeth grind. I stopped breathing when he said:

"I don't know."

* * *

Tom had told them that the quickest way to the Alchemist's was through the town, but he was in the middle of saying against it when Edward shot forward and started running down the path. The people of the village would not be pleased, to have civilized outsiders discovering and treading in their home... Tom yelled after him as Izumi and Alphonse followed. People of the village noticed them by now, staring, staring, staring, whispering, and staring some more. Edward broke into the actual grounds and some people shied from his path, watching him cautiously and distastefully. He ignored them and continued running, heading for the north end. He didn't care what happened to him, so long as he got to her.

He found himself in a central part of the dirty settlement, and he saw the rows of nooses on the platform. The graveness of it reminded him at last that these people would possibly not be as harmless as he thought people could be. He looked around and saw that people had lined up around him, forming a wall, and watching him. Alphonse, Izumi, and Tom had been trapped along with him too. Tom cowered with his hands at his temples, as if he had already admitted he helped intruders into their home.

"Who are you?" A gruff man demanded, holding a woman protectively in his arms. That woman in turn held a child. "Why have you come here?"

"Someone very dear to me has come here," Edward told them. "She's gone to the Alchemist, and I'm here to take her back. I'm not here to hurt you."

At the mention of the Alchemist, there were more murmurs. Some civilians talked harshly, disgusted, and that could only mean that they hated him, despite the protection he seemingly provided. Their secrecy and isolation, they were grateful for, but the tyrant took everything from them and left them in the dirt. There were only a selected few who respected and worked for him, and those were the ones who swarmed the newcomers.

"You have no place here," one of them addressed him, seeing him as inferior. "Our leader is the only, greatest Alchemist we need, and we don't want vermin like you threatening our prosperity," and then, a sneering smile. "He'll take good care of the girl, don't worry."

Edward's vision grew a reddish haze, full of fury. When the one who said those provoking words had come up to him, he managed to beat him down hard with his automail; so hard, that he thought that he caused the man's body to bleed on the inside, and he didn't care. Alphonse and Izumi did well in protecting themselves, but Tom needed help. One man took him in a bare-naked choke and wouldn't let him go until Edward punched him in the face. Tom was freed, then the alchemist leg-sweeped the thug and placed his foot at his throat.

"_I am the Fullmetal Alchemist!_" he bellowed angrily at the recovering henchmen, "and I don't need alchemy to kick all of you to the other side of those walls! And with your so-called leader, I'll make sure that he gets what's coming to him! Get out of my way, and let me find what I came here for!"

Obviously, the offensive thugs had no intention of bowing to his needs, but something in the village civilians rose. All the children were pushed back, and fathers and workers and teen-aged males leapt forth. Edward thought that his wish was unheard, but as he stood, he saw that they attacked the henchmen instead. In the confusion, he sought his chance, and he slipped away onto the right path again. He didn't think to wait for his companions — they managed to follow him again anyway—, for his mind was only for that one thing he cherished so. He saw the ditch before him, the drop, the mansion. He didn't even bother stopping; he jumped clearly into the air, embraced his descent and braced himself as his legs met and slid down a section of the wall. He stumbled at the bottom but rolled onto his feet again. He only had his eyes on the front door, which he could destroy with brute force if he had to."

* * *

"Stop toying with me," I growled heatedly.

"You asked me if I knew who you were," the Alchemist told me, amused. "Well, I would think that only you would know who you were presently, wouldn't you say?"

"Tell me who I was, then." My fists clenched as I looked at him, seeing nothing but vile filth. "Who was it that you transmuted me from?"

"Singularly, or in total?" he inquired innocently, finger at his cheek. My eyes widened as my brows furrowed. What an odd question. I never thought that anything this bizarre would occur.

"What do you mean...?"

"Well, you certainly know who Margaret is, eh?" After a pause, I nodded uncertainly. "And the children?" I nodded again. He smiled. "Think. How did I dispose of them all, all at once, in this room, and not suffer any consequence of equivalent exchange?"

My breathing gradually became laboured, and I tired all my might from preventing this from happening. "You..." I gasped, trembling. "You... you..."

"I, what? Come on, say it. I enjoyed it."

"You transmuted all of them," I choked. I shook my head in disbelief, and I had to say it again.

"All of them... they're me."

"Good girl," he said, smiling slyly. "Would you like me to tell you their pathetic, tragic story?"

"Tell me everyth—"

And at that moment, Edward erupted through that door, having kicked it aside. I turned and stared at him, wide-eyed, and he just stared at me back, a passionate fire in his eyes. "Urami!" he called, then he started running. This was too much.

"Idiot!" He stopped. Tears welled up in my eyes, and my throat burned. "What did I tell you?! This is something I have to deal with!"

"You can't always do it alone," he said calmly, but I shook my head violently and held my hands to my eyes. Edward looked at the Alchemist, and he pointed. "So you're him, aren't you? I have some questions for you. And help you God —if he truly exists—, if you've so much as touched Urami..."

The Alchemist addressed him, eyes crescent moons. "This is quite a spectacle," he commented, meaning the drama that I somehow brought with me. He stepped back, so that his feet lay outside of the network of circles. "But it seems the both of you are here for some sort of truth, yes? One way or another, you are _hungry_. And I will provide."

The tension between myself and Edward remained, mine an agonizing helplessness and his a painful confusion. Now, however, I needed to listen.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_

Woo! Last day of the year of 2009 and I've provided you this long chapter :)

OMG. We're finally here at last. THE TRUTH. We've got a fraction here, but there's more to it.

I'm excited! Aren't you? :D I'm sorry for your long wait, and I hope all of you enjoyed your break! A little late, but Merry Christmas!

And a little early; HAPPY NEW YEAR! -heart- Good luck in surviving another year :3 Thank you for all your reviews, and I'd love to hear more of your feedback ^^

~Vix


	17. Truth

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 17

"So both of you managed to find the entrance to this village, yes?" the Alchemist asked casually. Upon my and Edward's silence, he considered it an affirmative answer and continued.

"This is a small establishment that I call Korius. Small, nothing significant, filled to the brim with the isolated. As long as I protect them with my alchemy and keep their existence hidden, they are indebted to me. They work, and I live comfortably."

It was none of my concern as to why he created this place; he was just stalling now. But Edward asked ahead of me, making me refrain from snapping at the man. "Why is it that alchemy doesn't work here?" he asked. The Alchemist chuckled with his hand in front of his mouth.

"What, are you an alchemist, then? I would never have thought. It is only your alchemy that fails here. Mine is supreme."

"Why?"

The man smiled. "Wouldn't you like to know...?"

Edward grunted, and I found him looking at me from my peripheral vision. I gave him a tired look.

"Where's Alphonse?" I asked. It seemed wrong to have him alone in a place like this. He cast a glance behind him to the doorway, and my hearing picked up something. Sounded like struggle. Maybe the Alchemist's servants woke up, and Edward's team were caught in a scuffle. Edward had left in hot pursuit of me. I wished he hadn't been so stubborn...

"Urami, I need the truth," he demanded, and he closed the distance between us almost immediately. I swallowed the saliva that had built up in my mouth, a little panicked. I wasn't quite ready to tell him the truth, and I had little to no time at all to be able to think my words straight. His eyes were fierce, but he still had that question and confusion, then that spark of affection. It drove me insane.

Something in my spine shot a current of electricity; warning. I looked up at the ceiling in alarm, but saw only the same ceiling I had seen coming in. But there was something wrong. I felt something wrong, something disturbing... something familiar. It was a feeling had the first time I had awakened, and found Lust in my room.

It was Lust, and someone other, but I knew the first was Lust. She was somewhere close by, and she was coming here. They finally came to end me... I could have laughed out loud. But the fact that Edward was here stopped me from this laughing. I suppose them appearing and revealing the truth for me would make things a whole lot easier. However, they had sent me to manipulate Edward, then kill him off as soon as I was ordered. Would they hurt, maybe even _kill_ Edward, since I couldn't...?

I couldn't let that happen! Me trying to rip us apart for his happiness wouldn't work if he died. My Edward... please get away from here...

I decided to lie. Not keep lying the same lie had all along, but start another lie.

"When will you get that I don't want you anymore?" I ventured with what I thought was a slurr. They were words that felt so foreign and wrong on my tongue. He stared at me, awestruck.

"What did you say?" he whispered. His voice cracked, and his eyes searched for answers. My lips twitched up into a smirk half-involuntarily.

"Edward, did you ever consider just how stupid this relationship was? In reality, we hardly know so much about each other." I saw how sharply it cut him, and I wished I could take it back, tell him I was kidding. But I couldn't. My eyes narrowed. "It would never have worked."

"But, what—?"

"I got what I wanted!" I lifted my arms up into the air, symbolizing my arrival in this place "I only used you. I'm finally getting my answers. You, and Alphonse... thanks, but I don't need you anymore—"

"What about us?!" he practically shouted at me, searching for a way to cut me off. He reached for me and grabbed my shoulder. "I love you, Urami. I thought you—?"

"Honestly, Edward... what were we thinking?" I shrugged him off, and gave him a weak but spiteful smile. "Strangers, in love. This sounds like some love story that ends in tragedy. And I never really loved you... I guess I was caught up in the moment. And you, I bet you only pitied me." He took a breath to retort and tell me it wasn't true, but I rose my voice above him; "Just because I have some sad, unknown backstory doesn't make you the hero that takes me for his, to comfort forever. I _used_ you, to get this far. Now, we should part ways. It's best if you do."

At first, he wanted to argue more, and anger had his jaw frozen and teeth bared. But then something cracked, and a flash of grief flashed in his eyes for the fastest of seconds. Then replaced with betrayal.

"Really?" he said coldly. "Is that what you've been thinking this whole time? How to rip away from me?"

_Lust gets closer every second,_ I thought hastily. I stuffed my heart down into the depths, making it cold.

"Get away from here! Get out... as fast as you can!" He took my urgency as anger. He returned with a hard look of his own, and he turned his back.

"Fine. I don't really have any business here. Don't come crying to me when this guy rapes the living hell out of you."

Two things happened in different parts of my body. My stomach churned with the thought of the Alchemist behind me —simply watching, with a amused look on his face—, and my heart cracked. Even a cold heart could feel some amount of feeling, not numb enough. He exited and closed the door behind him with a loud clap.

My breath returned to me, painfully. I felt like sobbing where I stood, but I shut myself up. There was silence until the Alchemist broke it with more of his calculated chuckling.

"My my, you know how to host a show," he taunted, and I turned toward him, glowering. "What, are those tears brimming in your eyes...?"

"Shut up!" I yelled. I wiped the back of my gloved hands on my lids, then swept them back down. "Now tell me! Tell me _exactly_ what you had done to create me! Tell me what happened to those kids!"

* * *

_  
_Edward stormed down the hallways. He approached and heard the last sounds of the fight, and when he rounded the corner, there were Alphonse and Izumi finishing off the last goon, who collapsed to the ground in pain. They saw him coming, saw his expression, then started to ask questions. He shook his head violently and pushed past them. He felt them follow, and they did so in silence. He didn't feel like leaving this place entirely; he wanted some gain, for coming this far and instead finding something distasteful. He wanted to find out the Alchemist's secret now. But right now... he needed rest...

He turned on his heel when a room was directly beside him and he opened it roughly, hardly caring that this was someone bedroom or if they were still resident. Turned out it was empty and out of use; as to why the Alchemist had so many rooms, it was unsure. Izumi and Alphonse came in after him, and he closed the door and leaned his head against the wall beside it. His companions were quiet, exchanging glances, then Al ventured over to his brother and lain a hand on his should.

"Ed?"

"I don't really want to talk right now," came the cold response.

"Did you find Urami?"

His eyes felt delicate to the air, and it hurt to have them open, so he closed his lids, pressing his forehead against the cool marble. "Yeah."

"Then we've gotta—"

"No, she can take care of herself..." Edward's voice seemed muffled, as if he wanted the bury whatever emotion was laced in his voice. "She... doesn't need us anymore."

Alphonse waited in silence, then receiving no more answers — only a stiff shoulder under his fingers — he left him and joined Izumi. He knew how his brother wanted to grieve, and that was alone.

Edward tried so hard not to let it bother him, but he just couldn't. There was something about Urami that he always loved. Those things she said that she thought he felt... those were lies. He didn't love her out of pity. Just because she was ultimately alone in the world wasn't a sole reason he came to her side. She was a girl that he had fallen in love with unconditionally.

Everything she said; they made no sense. It was only now that she stated facts he didn't know until now. Before, he was sure that she loved him back... and every emotion she had, they were genuine. She was happy at times. She was sad, too, explained by her tears about something he didn't comprehend. And she was angry, as he saw by the riverside. Somehow, in comparison, the things she said in the room, and how she said it... they didn't _seem _real. But if they weren't, then why would she say that?

He didn't want to believe her. But he couldn't help doing that exact thing, and he never thought he would experience a broken heart.

As Edward stood by his lonesome by the door, Alphonse and Izumi watched him sympathetically. "Something must have happened up ahead," Alphonse said.

"Maybe. He must have found Urami but didn't like what he saw." their teacher said, and through her words he could only think of death. But Edward specifically said that she didn't need them anymore, so that meant she was still alive. The thing that cut Edward so deeply was something else.

Suddenly, Alphonse perked up. "Where's the guy?"

"What guy?" Izumi said. "The boy?"

"Yeah! The one that lead us here. Wasn't he with us?"

"Did he even follow us in here?"

"I thought he did..."

* * *

"Margaret, as you might already know, was a caretaker for many orphaned children," the Alchemist droned, and I listened intently with a grave expression on my face. "In this small community, many knew her by name. I remember always seeing her on my trips in the streets. Each time I passed, she gave me this stare, with these deep green eyes, as if she blamed me. As if _I _was the filthy one. And in some ways, I suppose that was true."

He lifted his chin to the ceiling, a content look on his face. "I have no regrets, using the people for my own comfort and luxury. They're all just things to covet, and to steal from. But see, I didn't quite like it when I found the girl stealing from my water. It was early morning, and I, disturbed from sleep, found her figure, collecting. I don't know how she could be so foolish. Escaping out of my home is troublesome, let alone carrying water at the same time. I caught her, and I brought her inside. I remember her pleading with me, to let her go. She didn't stare at me like I was filth anymore. But all I had for her was contempt, and I killed her.

"To say the least, I couldn't stop. It was all too fun; I brought her corpse here, and I gutted her, saw how her body used to tick. I hadn't had such a healthy human specimen to study before, and it was wonderful."

I watched the deranged man adjust his glasses, in impatient disgust. "But let us continue. As I stared at her, something inside my head clicked. Not only was I a biology major, but I was an_ alchemist. _Do you understand how frustrating failure at human transmutation is to our kind? I wanted to try it. But you see, human transmutation requires equivalent exchange, and I would never have given up something to revive someone I had already killed out of bliss. So I decided to set this aside for the time being. It was only until a mysterious man that same day suggested it again to me did I change my mind. I waited..."

"Until the children came, trying to save Margaret," I said, my eyes dropping to the floor. I heard the grin through his mirth.

"I hadn't thought they would do something like that. I saw them approaching beforehand as they climbed down my wall, so I rounded up my men for an ambush. And I was sure to leave Margaret in full display, where I had left her, in the center of this room. I made specific runes for human transmutation in the duration that took the children in getting here, and we waited. They arrived, and we overtook them."

Now my mind became active with vivid visions. I was Cid again, my face pressed down harshly against the ground. The Alchemist, his face unseen here, kneeled by me. We picked up where I remembered most clearly;

"_Did you expect to save this whore you cherished so? She tried to steal water from me, and I don't take too kindly to thieves. Would you? She wasn't perfect...but..._

"_I will make her the most beloved masterpiece this world has ever known. One, made with the price of many. A homunculus that succeeds all the others of her kind!"_

_My captor picked me up ruthlessly, still allowing me no chance to get a look at the Alchemist's features, and shoved me down to the ground again, and I noticed this to be a point of the transmutation circle. Rosalyn was crushed in a similar point, as were all the others._

"When the thought of human transmutation entered my mind," the Alchemist asked thoughtfully, interrupting my train of thought briefly, "I had considered ingredients. Usually, the ingredients are gathered logically; the amount of makeup of bodies, such as carbon and the sorts. But what I always thought alchemists lacked in the past were the things that sparked life, in a natural way. Instead of thinking of a way of sparking it myself, I thought, why not use things that already have life in them? Animals were such things, but I thought that would create a chimaera moreso than an artificial human... so I had some men employed to search for the remaining children. Since the children had already come to me, however, their catch only consisted of two."

There, I remembered my very first memory, as Tom. I had carried Cecilia back to the shack, and as I closed the curtain off, someone reached for my face and that was the end of it. Now...

As if on cue, the door opened again, and I saw Tom struggling against the bounds of his captor's muscled arms. He saw me, his eyes wide with fear.

_I knew the Alchemist was planning something, as he retreated out of the circle and out of my sight. I heard additional screams, and I managed to look to the entrance, and to my horror, there was Tom, struggling. Cecilia was in the hands of another thug, shrieking. _

_I roared, swearing at them, "Leave her alone!", and fighting against my captor. He only struck me into the ground again, and I felt more of the metallic liquid seep into my mouth__._

"What had happened to Cecilia? The baby?" I said out loud, faster than my memory could play. The Alchemist smirked, and shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"Her cries irritated me."

_The thug that held Cecilia looked at her in a harsh way, then looked up to his boss. With some sort of gestured order, the man grabbed the newborn and chucked her at the ground at the rim of the circle. Her skull collapsed into itself, blood spurt, and she cried no more._

I shouted in horror, "You didn't!", to make it as if it were a lie. I looked at Tom, and he looked at me with teared-filled eyes. "No..."

"What comes next then?" the Alchemist asked himself. He snapped his fingers. "Ah, yes. All the children were placed in their positions, all the runes were accounted for, and then..."

_I gasped with anger and despair. They killed my sister right before my eyes... what had I to fight for now? Seeing Margaret dead only had my efforts in coming here suffer and die in vain. But now, I had no sister to come to and take care of. What had I to live for now? I couldn't move, immobilized. Rosalyn screamed to me to keep fighting, but I couldn't._

_Soon, everything lit up in blue electricity, and my captor let go of me and ran. Upon my freedom I came up to my knees, not fully aware of things. Then, the blue instantly changed into a menacing red haze. I looked around me, and little by little, my friends, my family, all disintegrated. Rosalyn was the last of them, until it was my turn, and I watched my own limbs disappear beneath me. Tom had been held back, watching in horror, and I stared at him in terror. A scream ripped itself from my throat, and I no longer existed in my form._

"_Damn you to hell!_" I shrieked, clutching my head. "How dare you!"

"If I had not done so, would you still stand here before me?"

I glowered savagely. He continued. "The boy that stands with us today, I had no use for him. He's a pathetic excuse, and I could have easily used him for more ingredients... but the people would be more furious than they already were, I betted. And besides, look at him. Could he even speak of what happened within these walls?"

He was right. Tom didn't have the guts to tell even me, someone who looked so much like his foster mother.

I looked at my hands. They were child's hands. I couldn't help but think that these, if she had a chance to grow, were Cecilia's hands.

My ebony hair flowed down my shoulder. This deepest hue of black was Cid's.

The eyes I saw through, the ones I could only see in my reflection. Rosalyn looked back at me everyday with those grey eyes.

_They were all inside me, and now, it felt like they were trying to rip me up and get out...!_

* * *

"Edward," Izumi whispered. He had been by the wall in silence for a long while, and he felt numb and unresponsive. He directed his gaze toward his teacher emotionlessly. Her responsive look was comforting. "What do you intend to do now?"

He looked away for a moment, then sighed. "I don't know. I came here to get some answers, and now I wish I never got them."

Izumi smiled ruefully, gazing at the ground in melancholy thought. She was about to say something else, but she silenced herself. Edward heard it too. Alphonse tried to approach him, but his steps would be too loud. Izumi forbade him from stepping forward with her hand. The door that Edward had thought he closed was actually slightly ajar, and since one could see to where Izumi was standing, she distanced herself to the backside of the door. Edward was hidden.

"Oi... that Malice is nothing but trouble, I tell you. I knew something was off with her from the start!"

"I felt some promise in her, though.. it's disappointing that it's come to this."

The figures that approached past the room they resided in, but they stopped not too far ahead. Edward moved and brought his eye to the crack. He saw their backs, and they were talking to each other casually. _Lust_, he thought, then, _Envy._

"It's breaking the rules, having another homunculus beside the Original Seven," Envy continued complaining. "And besides, the alchemist that created her didn't do a good enough job."

"Father gave him the power to render all alchemy but his own useless," Lust said. "If he did that, he must have thought him a useful pawn. Perhaps Malice being created with a different method has tampered with things that a homunculus should already have, and should already have lost."

There was the answer to his alchemy question. Seems a person the homunculi followed, named _Father_, had given the Alchemist some sort of resistance transmutation, one that created some sort of force-field against other alchemy but his own. That much he could conclude, even though he had no proof, no recollection on such a transmutation, or explanation on how that worked. But the thing that puzzled him most was, _Who is Malice?_

"So she's just an experiment," Envy stated, then sighed heavily. "Damnit, why didn't you consider that she'd be defective when you sent her for the Elric twerp?"

As soon as he asked himself, he was answered. It took him a moment to process it, but soon, the words coughed up in his mind as if they had to get through some narrow tube. _Urami... is Malice...? A homunculus?_

"_Turn your back on the demon, Edward!" she screamed at him. "It's not worth it!"_

Now it makes sense. He hadn't suspected a thing... the girl that he fell so deeply in love with, was an artificial human? The part of him inside, that was enraged and hurt by what Urami had said to him, felt the betrayal spark once more. She lied to him, manipulated him and his feelings from the start. She was going to kill him at one point or another. But then, another side of him picked up the note; _How is she defective?_

"We didn't think she'd betray us."

"Yeah, what you mean to say is that you didn't know she'd go out and fall in love with the person she's supposed to kill! Like, come on! That's more than betrayal! It's treason!" Edward's breath hitched, a gasp that he kept as silent as possible. "Don't you remember what Wrath said? He said that she, with her own _mouth_ for fucking sake, said that she's not on our side anymore, and that she won't kill him. If anything, she's going to protect him."

"I saw Edward run in here with his friends," Lust noted, sounding drained. "He is most likely with Malice right now."

"Good; I want to beat the living shit out of him right in front of her! Let's see how she likes it. Then, I'll break it to him what his sweetheart really is. Last but not least, she'll fight her last fight, JUST like she wanted. I've been waiting for this for too long..."

His memory reversed, until he was back in the large room, Urami screaming at him. Finally, now that he wasn't hurt or confused, he watched her posture, her facial expression, and heard her voice at a different perspective.

"_Get away from here! Get out... as fast as you can!" _

If she hadn't added that last part, he would never have understood then and there. She knew that some homunculi were nearby. She was trying to protect him. Urami... no, Malice... truly loved him. She wanted to meet this all on her own. How could she be so stupid...?

Edward's hands clasped together sharply and he burst out the double doors of the room. Before Lust and Envy could even comprehend and turn around, he slapped them he palms against the ground with a battle-cry.

Damnit...

_I can't transmute! I forgot!_ He mentally slapped himself on the forehead, then it echoed with his physical being. Lust and Envy fully faced him now, and now Envy laughed.

"How embarrassing! Jeez, I can't help but feel the heat of it..." He practically had tears in his eyes from laughter. Edward got to his feet with a solemn look on his face.

"You sent Ur— Malice, after me? What for?" he asked. The homunculi exchanged glances, then Envy smirked.

"So you heard, huh...? We thought she'd be able to wrap you around her pinkie, so you wouldn't be any trouble to us. But she failed, that worthless piece of—"

"Shut up!" Edward shouted over him, and the two stared in shock. Alphonse and Izumi joined him and formed his team. He took off his red coat and threw it to the side harshly. "Now I understand just how much pain she's been facing! So she lied to me. She really does love me. She just did it to get me out and face you guys alone!"

"And so what? You still care? She lied to you from the start, that she was a _human _girl named Urami. Doesn't that bother you?" Envy was enjoying himself, but there was this slightly-strained muscle that said he was questioning this game.

"I know. She's lied to me more than just now, and I can't really forgive her right now," Edward confessed. But his eyes burned brightly. "But I know in my heart that she's been fighting something inside, trying to spare me. The weight on her shoulders were things I couldn't touch, and she knew that. That's why she didn't tell me, and soon chased me away. But that, I can't allow her! I'll be her support, and I won't let her face it alone, even if she isn't human!"

"Idiot! You don't know what you're talking about!" Envy hollered, his grin splitting his face in two. "But who cares! I guess I can beat you to death, then go after your sweetheart. Mind you, by the time you wake up, she'll be dead!"

The thought pissed the living hell out of the alchemist, and he ran forward, metal arm brought back for a punch, then a kick. When he swung, Envy dodged them and shot for Edward's ribs. The alchemist saw this and retreated, and as he was going again, Alphonse and Izumi joined the fray, much to Lust's and Envy's disadvantage. Edward looked at them, and his brother returned the glance.

"Go and get Urami!" Al shouted. "We'll take care of these guys!"

"But—"

"Idiot disciple!" Edward recoiled at his teacher's command. "After that speech you're hesitant!? Go after her!"

Edward didn't need an order to decide that. He nodded and ran for it, in the direction of the large room that he left Urami and the Alchemist in. He hoped nothing happened after he left.

"Oi, oi! Well this'll be fun!" he heard Envy bellow. "Just be patient with us, Elric twerp! As soon as we're done with these two we're coming after you and the traitor!"

Everything around him was a blur as he ran. Everything looked the same, as expected in a place like this. When he first entered the mansion he came upon the large room by luck, and luck alone. He started doubting this time around, looking around in a panicked way, looking for familiar landmarks. When he came to an area he didn't recognized, he backtracked immediately and went down a path that was his second guess. His laboured breathing and thudding footbeats were the only sounds of his presence, and to him it seemed like he was the only one on earth, alone.

He turned a door and could have whooped if not for his lack of breath. After a pause to try and catch his breath, he identified a sound. Yelling, screaming. He recognized the shrill of her voice, and he ran at the door at full speed, not patient enough to open the door civilly. He burst into the room once more, and took in what was present.

There were more of those works of the Alchemist's, four in total, this time watching over the boy that lead them here and holding him captive. The Achemist stood at the far end of the room. She was standing where she was last, but her posture was crumpled and she held hands to her head.

Seeing her there, he didn't know what to feel. He recognized her enough to be the girl he loved, but his reasoning reminded him that she was a stranger, someone that betrayed him. He was angry, angry enough to fight her, but passionate enough to touch her affectionately, even if for one last time.

"You _monster...!_" he heard her scream at the Alchemist. She hadn't even noticed Edward enter the room, not even after the noise of the door erupting open. The Alchemist did the moment it did, and after looking at Urami momentarily he ordered his henchmen with his eyes, and three of them turned on Edward. He held up his fists. As he fought, the Alchemist said,

"Come now, who is more of a monster here?"

"Urami!" Edward called after kicking his first opponent unconscious. She didn't answer him, as if she didn't hear him. Another one leapt at him, throwing multiple punches, and the other rounded and attacked him from behind.

"They were just kids... you really are evil. You don't deserve to live..."

"Urami!"

"Do you want to kill me then?" The Alchemist smirked, taunting her. "Come on, you're not a human. You're a killing machine. I dare you."

"_Malice!_"

Something in Urami's posture twitched. She heard him, but he didn't think she comprehended it, being so absorbed in what seemed like inner agony. Her hands slowly went down to her sides but her body refused to grow any tense. It just went tenser. Her eyes were the angriest he'd ever seen. He was distracted, and the men caught him under their grasp. One trapped his arms, while another person punched him in the stomach. He gasped inwardly harshly, and was immobilized.

"Well, is that your name, then?" the Alchemist grinned. "Do you accept it?"

A sort of dark revelation crept onto her face. Edward watched, and his thoughts raced. _Don't do it. Don't attack... _

Her fingers locked into claw-like bends and her back craned and she held her head high. "My name is Malice!" she hollered angrily. "I will rip you, and tear you, and so much more! Your life is _forfeit!_"

She burst into a sprint, and Edward shouted at her to stop. He considered the ground, the runes, but they were incomplete and the Alchemist wouldn't be able to use it. But often, these scientists had tricks, and sure enough, the Alchemist put his hand in his pocket. After another swift punch to the stomach, Edward shouted again. Urami couldn't hear him.

What the Alchemist pulled out was sand. Harmless, until something in his eyes flashed. In a matter a seconds, when Urami was a few feet away and ready to rip those very eyes out, multiple stakes materialized in the air he spread the sand in. She saw these, her eyes wide, and instantaneously, he sent them flying at her. Each stake entered her with a gush of blood to compensate and stain the ground anew, and each in vital spots; the heart, the lungs, the brain. The last one, which was the one lodged into her forehead, sent her flying backwards many feet. She landed heavily, limbs uselessly landing wherever they landed. Nothing moved, only blood-flow. The eyes faded.

Urami was dead.

_End of Chapter _

* * *

_A/N: _WAH??

Fourteen pages?! That beats a record, woo!

...oh. You're shocked about the ending of this chapter, aren't you? :O I am too, man. Well, maybe not, but I didn't expect to kill her like I did. But I had to make it somewhat realistic... (realistically, he'd have to throw the stakes himself, but he must have made a small air-explosion or something :3) Plus, I've got Umineko on the mind, with the Stakes of Purgatory, so. XD It's an interesting death.

BUT ANYWAY. Do you think that Edward had a reasonable reaction? I didn't want it that, if he found out, he'd accept her for who she is, but at the same time not be capable of letting go those deep feelings, you know? He's still dodgy about it, but yeah... things will be much less vague in the future.

"But ma'am, how will there be a future when you just killed the main character?? *disapproving look*"

...:3

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Had to get you one before I enter the dreaded time of studying for exams. Next semester starts in two weeks! I'm excited~ Hopefully I get the next chapter started soon! ^^

~Vixen


	18. Rebirth

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 18

Edward was petrified. His body didn't respond to him, so the men that held him back were unnecessary to his immobilization. He stared at her body, and the blood that pooled around it, and the eyes he loved, now lifeless. However, one thing he knew from experience was that homunculi were tough to kill due to their regeneration abilities. He had hope, a hope he'd never think he would have for any homunculus. His mind told him to call her name, wake her up. _Call for Urami,_ it said.

"Malice," he said instead, and it tumbled off his tongue strangely. Not a muscle moved. "Malice, get up," he commanded desperately. Nothing.

From his peripheral vision, he saw the Alchemist gesture an order, and the men let him go. He stood there for a moment, then he wandered over to Urami almost mindlessly. The blood was pooling slowly, not far from where she lay, and once coming to its edge, he stopped and gazed at her. One thing he noticed that he hadn't before, were the fragments of something strewn around her, drenched in crimson. He crouched down and picked one up, and he recognized it to be the small rose from the talisman he gave her. Soon he took note of them dismally; the stones, the branches, the roots. Where was the hoop to house them all together? None other than on Urami's chest, that one stake of stone pierced through and into her body.

If she didn't love him, would she have really kept his gift of his affection?

"Urami, wake up," he whispered, not caring for her true name now. She would always be Urami, fake name or not. He touched her shoulder and nudged her, repeating himself. Soon something overtook him as inevitability seeped in. She wouldn't regenerate. Was this what they meant by defective? Had he really just lost her...?! He lifted her up a little, letting his one knee sink and dip into the scarlet stain on the floor, and he propped her on his other knee, but her body was limp and simply draped back. He rested her head against his chest, trying his best to overlook the stake that protruded from her forehead. He closed his eyes tightly, and he felt the moist tears escape and sting his face subtly.

"I didn't expect you to come back, young alchemist," her killer mused. He signaled his lackeys to leave them, and that they did. Tom had gone with them, voiceless. "I thought those words had you abandon her here. And yet you came back. For what purpose?"

"I came back for her," Edward choked. His vision trembled and grew unfocused when he opened them. Rage consumed him, a darkening cloud gathering. "You'll pay."

"Even after all those words?"

"She was lying."

"Why would you care for a creature like that? She's not human."

"I'm fully aware of that!" he shouted. He took a moment of ragged breathing, and once his eyes settled on the stake that nailed Urami in the head, he took it out and set Urami's head gently back on the ground. He also took a moment to pick up all the pieces of the talisman, and slip them into a pocket they wouldn't slip out of. He stood up and faced the Alchemist. His eyes flared furiously. "But just because she wasn't born through natural means, didn't make her inhumane."

The Alchemist's jaw rose and he considered Edward through the spectacles he had perched at the end of his nose. Then he pushed them up to the bridge, and all they became were flashing-white ovals. "Your only love should be for the sciences, boy. She was nothing but an unsuccessful experiment. I can always make a better one."

Those words enraged Edward to no end. He clutched the stake he achieved in his human hand, and he wanted so much to run wild, but he had to remember that he had no power here, no alchemy, but the Alchemist did. He had to figure out his secret, or something around it. The first run at him, although having caused the death of his loved one, would be the ideal thing to do.

And so Edward leapt forward, holding the stake across his body and his metallic arm posed at the side, ready to block or protect himself. The Alchemist smirked and watched him draw closer casually. When he put his hand in his pocket Edward knew what was coming, and when the eyes flashed he retreated, managing to dodge a few airborne projectiles in the process. Edward started again and waited. Retrieval of material — sand —, so it meant that the Alchemist was not making things out of nothing. But he had no transmutation circle, and the one on the floor was already used for whatever experiment he had concocted beforehand and could not be used again. Where or how was he doing this?

Again, the eyes flashed. It was a familiar one.

When Edward finally put two and two together, he barely had enough time to move away again. This time, the man transmuted varying-sized fragments of glass, edges as sharp as they were broken, and they came in a swarm. Edward evaded them with only a small shard slicing the surface of his right cheek. He distanced himself then, and he straightened up.

"Never did I think that I'd live to see the day," Edward said aloud, and the Alchemist, after taking his glasses off and stroking the lids of his closed eyes, put them back on and smiled smugly. "You have transmutation circles on your eyes. But... how?"

"I commend you for figuring out my secret," he nodded. "When I was young, I, too, was a subject of an experiment, but held by the medical facility supported by our nation's military. My presence was voluntary. I was a young boy who practised alchemy to no end, but I heard of alchemists that needed no transmutation circle. I yearned for this, but I found no way. I know now that you achieve it through seeing the Gate," he said in response to Edward's look, "but back then, I'd do anything. When this opportunity came up, I didn't hesitate. I signed up, had them put me in a trance, and upon awakening, I was blind."

"You can't see?" Edward said in astonishment. Were all the movements of his eyes a façade? How he seemed to look into you with those dark green eyes?

"My eyesight is much better since it was then; that was one of the starting effects, and I had to be blindfolded for them to recover their strength. Although, I do still need these to see." He tapped the sides of his spectacles. "When I was freed, I felt powerful. No more tedious pens and ink, no more runes. The runes I need are in my eyes now. No one can stop me. Not even you, one who doesn't even have power here."

Edward was reminded of what he had overheard from Lust and Envy. "Did a man named Father help you?" he asked suspiciously.

"A woman named Danté came on his behalf. She proposed a power in exchange for my loyalty and work, and I obliged. This power lies in me now. As long as I'm alive, you can't do anything."

"Like hell I can't!" Edward said lowly, and he burst into a sprint. The Alchemist rolled his eyes, smirk wide, and stuffed his fist into his pocket again.

"Looks like the brat hasn't learned from his lover's mistakes!" he crowed.

* * *

This, what I felt, was like dreamless slumber. I didn't know I thought of nothing until I got the chance to think. I had woken, but darkness took hold of my vision.

"_Awake then, are you?"_

What a peculiar voice. It was not human, but it wasn't a dark rumblings of a beast, neither. My eyes rolled, and I looked down. Surprisingly, I could see the rest of my body clearly, but nothing around me. It was as if I was radiating light. I sat up slowly, aching, then stumbled to my feet, swaying.

"Who's there?" I demanded. Dark whispers.

"_Danté's been doing it all wrong. She's a stupid puppet. You're doing it wrong, too."_

"What am I doing wrong?"

"_Humans are stupid. My brother through blood was a smart human, somewhat, but the rest I wouldn't hold much hope for. You're not supposed to feed your human side."_

"So what if I am? I never wanted to be a homunculus!"

"_We don't always get what we want. But then again, **I** do, but that's beside the point." _The voice seemed to come from all around, and at the same time, just at my ear. _"There's no possible way to reverse whatever you've become, so why deny it?"_

"Because it just isn't what I am."

"_You don't know who you are anyway. You have no other to compare with."_

That was true. Visions of the children were not in-depth enough to understand their personalities. They had anger, grief, and concern, but most of humanity possessed those emotions — feelings are a definition of humane behaviour —, and that didn't make things any different. With Margaret, I didn't even know her at all. This body was practically her, but a vessel of all the children inside of me, then myself, my sin. Perhaps the me I knew now really was, and always will be, a homunculus.

"_You should be hating humans. People just go out and seek destruction. There are natural things in life that live peacefully on their own, but humans invade their harmony and take them apart, see how they think. That Alchemist, he ripped your human counterpart; if he hadn't, you'd still be a human today, would you not? And __isn't Edward an alchemist as well?" _I hesitated, then my lip curled. "_He has that same curiosity. How the world works. He breaks down what is already created, then rebuilds it, knowing its makeup. I don't see how he would resist inspecting you in a different light."_

I knew that he wouldn't do that. My face hardened and I looked down at my feet.

"_Not only alchemists are stupid, mind. There are good, gullible souls. And since there are those undeniably-forsaken people who kill, plunder, and do all sorts of terrible things, that means that every good person is capable of becoming those exact monsters. You want to be human, but is it guaranteed you'll be a good one, or a bad one? You'll just become something you don't want again anyway. You, Malice, are in a perfect form. A homunculus! You rise above the beastly behaviour of mankind. Abandon those sentimentalities. They're not worth your time."_

An eye opened in front of me suddenly and I recoiled. A lopsided grin housed square-cut teeth and the eye narrowed teasingly. "_My name is Homunculus, and you're one of the ones not to have been born from me. That makes you supreme. You know that, right?"_

"In what way?" I asked suspiciously.

"_In many ways, but I don't feel like telling you."_

The thing laughed at my foul expression. "Shut up! And leave me alone! I'm dead, aren't I? It doesn't matter anymore. This is hell, isn't it?"

"_Oh no, this is in the depths of your mind, and I just thought I'd drop by. Perhaps reawaken you," _he said, his eye rolling at the top from right to left, to right again. "_I'm Father. You gotta do what Father tells you."_

I looked away from the eye and its grin. "This is the first time I've met you. Father? Homunculus? Give me a break. I don't need more of this confusing crap. I need to..." My sentence trailed off. What did I need to do?

"_Need to what? You've already found out your past life and death. Which, by the way, wasn't that bright. And is it true you only started thinking about your past once people around you wondered?"_

I stood, silenced. That I couldn't deny. Human influences were the things that allowed my other half to exist, and what has that brought me? I've felt love, and some happiness, but most of it was only drenched in despair. As soon as I was reminded of it, it seeped into my body, and I didn't know what else to do. I covered my face with my hands. I felt something caress my neck.

"_You're hurting, aren't you?"_

"Yes," my voice whimpered, muffled. I had no where else to go now.

"_See, and that's all because of that human side of yours. I told you they were no good. No good at all. But I can help you."_

"How?"

Little hands coiled around the sides of my wrists and brought my hands away. The eye looked at me.

"_When you reawaken, you won't feel pain anymore. How does that sound?"_

Frankly, that sounded... really good. Blissful. I couldn't say this, since I didn't feel like speaking at all anymore, so I nodded my head.

"_I don't mind whatever you do once you wake up, so long you become whole again. We'll meet up sooner or later, I in a different form. But for now, you... just enjoy, and permit your impulse. I assure you it, it will be great."_

My mind... I was losing my grip on it... My Ouroboros pulsed for what seemed like the very first time, and immediately it felt like power gushed through my veins to the vital parts of my body, especially the brain. As all of this underwent, all my reason, all emotion that were special to me, _everything_ that was some reminder of my humanity, were ripped away. By this time I didn't think like I did in the past. I wasn't me.

She was a homunculus. A powerful one.

_Why should she care?_

_Fuck everyone!_

* * *

Edward's automail arm was damaged severely, but at due to equivalent exchange in some ways. He managed to slip by the Alchemist's defences and destroy his glasses, rendering him more at a disadvantage. But he succeeded and catching his arm and breaking it down. At least not completely, so that he could move it. The Alchemist rubbed his eyes and grimaced. He had been using alchemy for a while now, and now having no means of seeing decently irritated his eyes.

"I'm going to end this very quickly! Then you can join that failure in the after-life!"

The sounds of sparks triggered both their eyes back, and the red glowing haze that enveloped the body was intense. The girl got to her feet slowly, shoulders rolling in their sockets to loosen them. Her body was hunched down and she considered the things that caused her death. Hands went respectively to remove the stakes from her torso, and as they were removed, the holes sealed up. The one hole in her head, she could feel close up in a inward circular motion, and as the blood retreated back inside she managed to lick at least one drop. The stakes were simply dropped on the floor, clattering. The sparks and light ceased, and she straightened up, face to the ceiling, in a stretch. Her head lolled onto her left shoulder, and she looked at the scene she had before her. Edward looked like he had just seen a ghost, and the Alchemist had a shocked but interested look on his face.

"Look what I've come back to," the homunculus mused. She seized the mouth of her left glove and yanked it off, letting to fall to the floor. She started her right glove next, and her sign heated, delighted. She focussed on the Alchemist. "Thanks for the wake-up call. But I digress, the way you did it was a little distasteful. My reward to you will be much more gruesome."

"You are a very foolish object, Malice," he said, blinking his blurry eyes. He rubbed them and saw her form standing lone against his sand-coloured walls. The last glove was off, and she momentarily gazed at her birthmark. The black leather accessory dropped. "I will just kill you again and again until you—"

Now, no human boundaries mattered to her, nor restrained her. Before her right glove hit the ground, before the Alchemist could even finish his sentence, she slipped through his defences and came nose-to-nose to him. It was at this closeness that he could see her, and he was so shocked that he couldn't reach into his pocket. Her feet had not touched the ground yet, and in a matter of seconds she had him analysed. She saw the complex, rune-carved circles in his eyes, light against the moss.

_Alchemy is disgusting._

The fingers clawed in and gouged the eyes out, snapping free from the sockets. The Alchemist screamed in agony and retreated from the homunculus' landing site, feeling up and pressing the holes with his hands, horrified. He kept screaming. Edward watched in horror as the girl looked at her prize, dropped them to the ground, and smashed them under her feet, crunching from side to side. What looked like an explosive reaction ensued under her feet, and Edward felt a certain power flow back into him. He looked down at his hands. Had his use of alchemy returned?

"You fucking whore!" the Alchemist shrieked. "My eyes! My _eyes!_"

"Yes, your eyes! I know! I ripped them out myself!" the homunculus sneered. "Now what? Can you do your precious alchemy, almighty scientist? What use are you when you're blind?"

"I'm not finished yet!" he roared, and he reached into his pocket. She had expected him to pull out sand —which was a useless tactic now—, but instead, he took out a fountain pen. But even then, what use was that when he had no paper?

She stood corrected then, as it did have a use; the Alchemist started quickly carving into his own skin, not deeply, but enough to make the circle complete. His face was soaked in the blood that flowed from his sockets, teeth bared. Upon finishing a perfect circle, before the homunculus could stop him, he shot for the ground and pressed his transmutation hand against it. In a matter of seconds the area around him sparked to life and travelled to where she stood. She retreated, and the area was so deranged that even Edward had to escape it to remain unharmed. In all of this, he couldn't believe his eyes, and he felt like he was going to be sick.

Something was different about her, something less obvious than her behaviour now. As her hands moved he caught glimpses of the Ouroboros tatoo, one of which he was so close to uncovering and reminded of the instances in which Urami, the girl he thought he knew, had shielded her hand. But that wasn't what changed to him. That was more of something new. For something to have changed, he would have to have been familiar with the formal characteristic in question. He realized that it was her eyes, one that individually set a homunculus aside from the people.

Violet, slitted pupils. Cold.

The Alchemist was blind, but in order to counter this handicap during the years, he built up his hearing. In the breaks between alchemic disruption, he listened, and where he heard footfalls, he attacked. He didn't care who it was. His eyes were stolen, and he was furious. He didn't care that his life dwindled the longer he let blood flow out of his body; his fury was going to be fulfilled. The homunculus watched the man contemptibly, prowling, and stomping down in areas to test his will.

In one instance she proved too cocky. A spike of matter sprouted from the ground behind her and curved down like a talon upon her shoulder. She shouted at the pain, hissed at the blood that escaped. The Alchemist laughed, having met his target, but this was a scenario all too similar, and things like these don't happen twice.

This time, the girl's mind discovered something well hidden, something that only appeared beside her when she had 'awakened'. She grasped that power and it took charge in her body. She felt like her body was becoming more animated, with much more crude, yet complicated functions replacing the human anatomy. She watched in delight as her skin grew more lustre, a more metallic sheen. The bones in her hands took a more dominant look, moving in a spidery affect, as if it were a normal human hand without skin, but with a distinguishable palm. Automail was what her human side was most fond of that was made from metal, and so that influenced the form of one of her characteristics.

She was the Ultimate Ore.

The stone, disfigured spire: gone. Her dagger-like fingers split it at its foundation and sent it crumbling. The rock was removed from her body and she healed herself anew. The Alchemist felt this, and his smirk of triumph disappeared. He tried again, but the homunculus was no longer in a mood to play. With her newborn power she evaded all offensive attacks and reached. Ripping a throat was all the more satisfying.

All was calm then. The Alchemist fell, death overcoming him very quickly. The girl towered over him as she discarded what was formerly his breathing tubes. "What now, huh?" she taunted, and a twisted smile touched her features. "What happened to killing me, again and again? You wish you had my ability, don't you? Well, that's too bad. I hope you like your stay in hell~"

She chuckled to herself. She kicked the dead man over, to refrain from looking at his face again, and she just stood there. She twisted her arm under her gaze, noted the red lines and circles. The designs of a homunculus, ones that never appeared in her first, half-homunculus, half human form. She felt the metal present other than her body as well, surprisingly. The metal encasing the ventilation above, the electrical current tubes below. She was reminded how she had entered this place before, through the metal door. The door was locked, she was sure, and she managed to open it subconsciously. Metal was her friend. She was in full possession of this power, and it felt phenomenal.

"Urami."

She heard the name, and it sounded familiar. But it wasn't hers.

"Who are you talking to?" she asked as innocently as her 'soul' could come out as. She looked over to him, who held his automail arm as if he was nursing it. He stared at her incredulously, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. "To me?"

"Well, seeing as you just _killed_ the only other person in this room," he said, casting a glance briefly at the Alchemist. His golden eyes returned, and took a more cynical look. "Yeah, you."

"But, _Urami..._ She's not here anymore. I have another name."

Something in his eyes flickered, a kind of hurt that the homunculus grew interested in, tempted. Seemed the use of another name had more significant meaning here. When one name was discarded, that could only mean that the person who played that role had died, and would be buried. Edward didn't like that. The homunculus looked at her scarlet fingers in a fascinated way, waiting.

"Fine. Malice."

"Very good. Do you have something to say to me?"

"I know that you were lying. You don't have to play your act anymore." He took a step, and seeing the girl's lack of negative reaction, finished what he started and walked closer to her. Her unfamiliar eyes watched him closely. "I'm pissed that you didn't tell me the truth. Why didn't you? I would have loved you all the same."

"Would you now?" she smiled challengingly. "Would you, if I told you I was supposed to kill you for the homunculi? I was all up for it when they assigned it to me."

Edward stopped just a few paces from her. "But you changed your mind, right?"

The smile degraded to more of an amused, silent observation, her eyes doing all the taunting. "I haven't," she said simply.

Edward stared at her, searching for an answer. "What did you say?"

"I said I haven't changed my mind," came the bored sigh.

"You haven't changed your mind."

"No."

"Then when will you kill me?" He threw that out there to test her. He knew she loved him. She had to. "Urami, I know you won't—"

"You're a fool, Fullmetal Alchemist," she hissed with a grin. "Urami never existed. Are you wondering who the Urami you knew was? She was just some made-up personality that my human side tried to use as liberation from _me_. I'm in full control, as I should have been from the start!" Her hand shot up and grew rigid in its all metallic glory. "My name is Malice! The Ultimate Ore!"

"Liar!" Edward shouted, and Malice's grin grew wider. "I refuse to believe that you've forgotten everything! Urami, listen to me, you're not _this!_" He closed the gap and grasped her shoulders tightly, disregarding the fact that she was in possession of killing instruments, and that she _herself_ was a killing instrument. "You're a human, a kind human. I love you, Urami, and I'll say it for the rest of my life and it won't lose its meaning! You—"

"Edward, you're hurting me."

His breath hitched, and he stared at her. The eyes remained violet, but her voice regained the softness he remembered. He believed that he 'woke her up' again, like the homunculus was somehow awakened before. He was so _gullible. _His defences weakened, and he stared at the leftover hoop of the talisman that stayed around her neck. "I'm sorry—"

"I love you, Edward."

Something in the voice cracked.

Mirth.

He gaped at her, then her thumb, now suddenly curved and sharpened like a tiny scimitar, came up and sliced its edge across his chest, cutting through his clothes like a warm knife in butter. He stumbled back, grasping the new wound, shocked. She laughed, taunting,

"_I love you! I love you, Edward! All I want is for you to be happy! _Those words pissed me off every time they left my lips! Look here, alchemist!" She held up her right hand with the back facing him. The Ouroboros shone deeply in the cascading blood. "This is me, and I will always remain! The human you knew is dead!"

He refused to believe it. No. This person in front of him was an intruder; in the same body, he knew Urami was still present, deep and buried. But he couldn't deny that, something in his mind ate away at the belief, replacing the missing segments with doubt. Grinding his teeth he made a split-second decision, and he clapped his hands together. He felt the knowledge pulsing through his body, and he channelled it to the ground again. The ground morphed once more. Malice's mouth curled in loving spite. Her speed proved too much to counter, and she dived for him, for the final strike. She favoured ripping eyes; it was wonderful the first time. It would be even more wonderful here, with golden ones as her prize.

"It's your turn now!"

I screamed in defiance.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N:_

Dun dun duuun! Eleven pages once more. Score!

This one will be, no doubt, the most confusing one I've written so far. XD Perhaps not. I mean, there aren't any visions, but I guess some dream-like phase and sudden bloody action would give any unsuspecting person whiplash. I think I got it when I kept scrolling up and down editing... Anyway, notice something about the point of views? Malice doesn't have first-person. So now you know. :3 I like having a sin personified. If I ever get to make a manga, I'd love to personify things.

I bet the fact she'd regenerate was VERY predictable. I know. Sorry. ;D

I feel like I'm typing to the future right now, because right now, it's Jan 27th,(aka my birthday, lol), but my router fried and I don't have internet, so you got this a few days after this note. ;D

I know what most of you might be thinking... Malice's a ripoff of Greed! :O Do not worry! There is a profound explanation for that later in the future, and that's only one of the contributing factors of being The Ultimate Ore. By Ore, I mean almost every mineral in existence, which are often used as alloys and metals, not just iron and stuff; 'tis why her body can't be transmuted (just an FYI, haha). Plus, I might get some accusations of Malice being a Mary Sue in the future, with what I got planned. That's understandable. Yeah I know, good OCs shouldn't be so powerful, but 1) it's no fun when you've got restrictions and 2) Malice _is indeed_ a powerful homunculi and quite the handful, and in the end will be beaten horribly in some way. Le gasp! I've said too much ;D

Anyway, hope you liked it! I hope to get the next chapter written sometime soon. Exams are almost done and a new, lighter semester is about to begin ^^ All you have a nice day now!

~Vixen


	19. Struggle

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's plots, ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 19

My body rammed against the walls of myself, screaming. This was not what I wanted!

This was not what Homunculus promised me. He promised me deliverance from the human condition! He only rendered me from my full control, fed my sin until it took over me completely as a totally different, but true, form. I remained, still watching. I realized now that when I was in full control, I _was_ the human side. The person who controlled my body now, was Malice. Something personified, something that contaminated my being since the moment I was created.

Malice noticed this midair, as she was in the midst of plunging down upon Edward to take his life. Her mouth dragged down a little, but the sight of Edward's demise was within reach. The walls that I fought against were strong, but I felt something; I weak spot. I searched for it. I rammed against it again and found it.

I seized control of my arm, locking it. Malice snarled inwardly at this, her eyes narrowing to slits. The course of her arm was now a failure; Edward, though having a momentary shock of his death drawing near, blocked it at the last second, metal to metal. Malice's fingers sung and sparks danced. I took hold of her other arm as it tried to strike forward. Malice's momentum died abruptly and she landed ungracefully, cursing.

She saw Edward's hands close in to clap. If he did so, she was done for. She shook me off ruthlessly, and I, having no true being, was banished. She shot for him with her newborn speed and pushed her own hands into his, fingers interlocking in a battle stance. They pushed opposing forces.

"This is interesting, isn't it?" Malice said, lips twitching up, forgetting about me. Her eyes rolled down to her left and Edward's right, how two metal limbs fought to conquer. "On one side we have equal chances. But on the other..." Whereas Edward's left was his flesh,hers was still metal. Her fingers crushed inwardly, and he grunted, then grimaced loudly. This wasn't enough for her. Her fingers hooked and stabbed his knuckles, and he shouted in pain, trying to pull away from her. She grinned.

"I'm trying to determine which pain of yours pleases me more! Your bodily pain, or your pitiful emotions for me—"

Her face caved in to the power of Edward's right fist, which, unlike the hand she was using to crush his human hand, was not trapped to tightly. She walked backwards away from him, trailing her tongue along her teeth on that side. Not so much of a fragment of her bone chipped under her flesh, and her skin did not bruise.

She saw Edward press his mechanical hand to his other flesh one, even as a welt across his chest still remained from her first swipe. She heard small automail parts tumble out of his sleeve and onto the ground.

"How much of your hand did you break?" she inquired. She watched him look at her darkly. Her grin grew wider.

"I don't care for _you._"

"Hm?"

His right hand squeezed the left, where the blood soaked into his glove and stained it scarlet. "My _pitiful_ emotions. They were never yours."

"Oh, I see," Malice said, crossing her arms. "They belong to a memory."

Before he could say anything, the door opened, and lo and behold, the Alchemist's men walked in after their long absence away. Were they outside the room the whole time, and didn't enter when they heard so much ruckus? If that were so, they could have gone in and fought alongside their boss. Now that they saw his body drowning in a pool of his blood, horrified expressions overcame their features and they gaped at Malice. She looked at them lazily, and a smirk graced her features. Tom was in their possession, and he stared at the body of the Alchemist numbly, with only a small touch of relief at last.

"Demon!" one of them shouted. Malice rubbed her middle finger against the side of her index in contemplation —screeching metal—, watching them. What would they do? Personally, she didn't care either or; it was just one more interruption between her and Edward's death. But another interruption arose behind the first.

"Brother!" Al called, getting through the door, carrying a wounded Izumi who, undoubtably, forced herself too much and irritated her insides. Her blood dripped from her mouth and she took in her surroundings painfully. "The homunculi; they disappeared and I thought to warn you—"

Al took in everything too, and a little alarmed. He saw the dead body, though he didn't know who's it was originally. He saw Malice standing, covered in blood. He saw his brother, mechanical arm in bad shape and his own blood soaking up. The first interruption of men cried out in alarm, simply at the situation in general. Their leader was dead, and powerful, _powerful_ enemies roamed here. And so, they fled in a swarm past Alphonse. Tom was discarded like a forgotten doll, and he landed heavily on his side. Soon their footfalls faded, and Malice laughed softly.

"Fear is a wonderful thing."

Again, before Edward or anyone else say anything, Tom eventually got to his feet. All eyes watched him.

"Margaret?" he asked softly. Malice rolled her eyes subtly; saying this, it simply looked like she raised her eyes to the heavens to consider the ceiling. She breathed deeply through her nose, then as she was in the middle of exhaling, she ceased. Her ears picked up on something soothing, something just asking her to find it. A different kind of metal sung to her. Her eyes dropped slowly, because she thought it was buried behind the ceilings and walls. She realized as they dropped to eye level that it was nothing rooted anywhere in the room.

The walking armour.

Alphonse just stared at her, holding Izumi up against him as most wounded women were carried. She studied him, welcoming the new feeling she felt inside her. It was a feeling she roughly felt when she opened the door outside subconsciously.

_Drop her,_ she ordered.

Izumi fell to the ground with a grimace, then groan, then a coughing fit. Edward's attention whipped to his brother, question written all over his face. Alphonse gasped to himself, his arms poised in the same position that they dropped the older alchemist to the ground. Malice, though astonished at this new feature, grinned.

"What the hell, Al?"

"Brother, I didn't mean this! Something... I don't know...!"

His hand swung up, but all without his consent. Malice's eyes followed it, or more appropriate, lead it. She had it twist, learned the mechanics of how the arms moved. She began having both arms animated, doing simple things. Eventually she had him step back a few paces.

_Lift off your helmet._

He stopped, and then she directed the hands to slowly inch up to the Alphonse's helmet. He grasped it with his fingers on both sides, and he gasped again, against this. "What is my body doing?!"

"Alphonse!" Edward took a step toward him, but then, something hit him. He turned to look a Malice. Not a muscle moved an inch in her body, and her eyes didn't even consider his presence. Only she and Alphonse existed. He noticed a strange look in her newfound, slitted eyes. "Malice! You're doing this, aren't you?! Stop it!"

"Let's have him commit suicide, shall we?" she droned. Edward and Izumi's eyes widened. They knew what she was doing. Izumi staggered up and clenched at Alphonse's right arm. He proved unintentionally strong. He simply lifted her up a little as he rid himself of his helmet, trying to fight against Malice's control all the same. His armour rattled as he tried gaining back control. Edward considered whether to charge at Malice or prevent his brother; either way, he would prove too late.

_Destroy the blood rune._

The arm that Izumi had no hold over reached in. His fingers would scratch his bond to this world away.

"_STOP!_" Edward shouted angrily, desperately. He clapped his hands, energy coursing through his body, finally ready to intervene. Alphonse was going to die. Malice was going to kill him—

"Stop it, Margaret!"

Tom had launched himself at her, in an embrace, the type old friends would do after a long period separated from each other. Malice's control was snapped, interrupted, and Alphonse's arms dropped, as well as his whole body in a relieved heap. There were groans, from both Alphonse and the weary Izumi. Edward froze. Everyone froze. Malice couldn't move.

"Get off of me...!" she seethed, twitching. He was a simple boy. She could kill him! What took her so long?! "Idiotic filth! Get off of me!"

"Margaret, listen to me, you're not a killer. I'm really glad that the Alchemist got what was coming to him, but..." He paused as he looked at the corpse at the far end of the room, nauseated. "It shouldn't have been you. You're not a killer, Mar—"

"Fuck off!" Malice's arms slipped up from her bounds — Tom's arms. "For a coward who let his friends, his _family, _**all **off to die, you're pretty damn_ stupid!! _I'll kill you too!" The claws curved down, and she made to cut him down. He remained where he was, with his eyes shut tight.

Edward's transmutation continued, and the tendrils of stone made toward them. Malice's arm stalled, and she watched them approach. In the meantime, the ceiling thundered, and soon stone rained down in boulders as two very familiar homunculi rained down with them. Envy's laughter echoed as he descended above Malice, intent on a brutal fight. Malice's mouth tilted into a diagonal scar, furious, and she considered the transmutation of Edward's again. Her hand's plunge for more blood instead turned into a rough grab around Tom's shoulder and she tossed him away in annoyance. She jumped backwards, away from the upturned and destroyed grounds and the landing site of Envy. But she remembered that there was a third offender.

She whipped her arms around as she turned to counter the lances that Lust provided as fingers. Their weapons called out a chorus, spitting small tongues at contact. Lust was faster than she was the last time they saw each other, and it was understandable; she was holding back then, putting up a show for Edward and Alphonse. Now, her speed was at top mark.

Maybe if 'Urami' existed, she would never have had a chance.

Malice, however...

Her shoulder burned in memory, cursing the pain it felt in the slow, delayed healing in the past, and wanted retribution.

Lust's fingers danced, to pass through Malice's defense and devastate her flesh. The new homunculi offered no such thing, and joined the exchange. She beat the lances out of the way, up to the point where she took hold of Lust's pointing finger and snapped it like you'd snap an arm; have one hand grip part of the limb, place the other at the middle, the, push and pull simultaneously. Lust screeched and pulled away, leaving Malice with a sword. Instead of wielding it, she hurled it and it pierced Lust's head. She fell to the ground, with a shocked expression, but she would heal herself within seconds.

In that play of offensive attack, Envy replaced Lust. He considered Malice's form and snorted. "What, a Greed copycat, are we? What kind of homunculus are you?"

"Come here, worm," Malice smirked, not having absorbed anything he said. "I've beat you badly once! Now I'm gonna do far worse!"

"Unlikely!" Envy lunged for his opponent, and as he did so, his body morphed as he changed its shape, and in the end, she was looking into what seemed like a reflection. Envy transformed himself into Malice. Their arms clashed, and she felt that he also had his arms morphed into metal. He didn't know what metal Malice was made of, but it was a metal nonetheless. He grinned. "How can you beat someone with the same abilities as you?"

"What makes you think you know _all_ of me?" she laughed maliciously. She felt the metal under them. The cords and tunnels that channeled the electricity, that supported this mansion. Just like Al's armour, she heard it whispering. She called for it with her mind, and it budged. She smiled, and backed off. Envy laughed at her, at her supposed retreat.

The metal under her command stretched and twisted below. Then, she called it forth, up and out of the ground. They weaved up around Envy, slithering. He stared at them in alarm in his mirror guise, his arms up at his sides. Heavy, barbed wire. Malice marveled at her handiwork, and she smiled.

"Not exactly my copy, are you, Envy?"

She had them collapse into place around him and slice up his skin, coil around his limbs, body, and neck. He cried out in anger and pain as they squeezed tighter. Malice's eyes narrowed in a delighted manner. Torture painted her mind appealing colours.

"You've woken up for real, then?" Lust whispered in her ear, and Malice's eyes opened fully. Lust stabbed her with all five fingers into her back, and they stretched so much out that she could see the tips in front of her at arms' length. The barbed wire on Envy dropped uselessly and slid down the hole it burst through. Lust shoved Malice off her fingers and the younger homunculus went with it, jogging carelessly. She turned around to brandish the effortless closing of her wounds. Lust stood up straight, and her fingers returned to their normal lengths. Her eyes softened.

"I'm glad I don't have to kill you."

"Are you now?" Malice asked smoothly, considering Envy at the corner of her eye. Her back was to Edward and the others, but she knew that none would interfere. "Don't tell me you care."

"Even homunculi feel a little," Lust said, sounding doubtful at her words. Malice straightened her back, cast a glance at Envy, whose wounds closed up as well. Unlikely. "It was a pleasant feeling, having a new member of the family."

"Don't kill yourself, Lust," Envy snorted. "You couldn't possibly feel for this little shit."

Malice chuckled. "At least we feel the same way about each other, eh, Envy?"

"Shut up!"

"Come back to us, Malice," Lust continued. "You've become a real homunculus. Now, we can—"

"There's no 'we' here. It would be just too easy. I have no intention on going back, with anyone!" She looked at her two family members, then imagined the expressions on the people behind her. "I'm on my own, and I feel _powerful! _I don't need any of you!"

"It's not a matter of who you need but on who's side you're on!" Envy shouted. Now he was beginning to panic, she could see. That was a triumphant moment to relish.

"I walk a fine line. Kill me if you can!"

"You're asking for it!" Envy lunged at her once again, at the same time that Lust, with her lips positioned in a frown, leapt towards her. Malice smiled at the commencement of their battle.

* * *

The last I'd seen of the real world was when my sin threw me off after I saved Edward in that split-second. I hoped he was alright.

Now I wasn't quite sure where I was. It looked strange. The floor was cold, or what I thought was the floor, which had no real characteristics of being in reality. I seemed to have a physical form, since I got up onto my feet and could see my arms, hands, and chest. As far as I could see, I saw white, too.

Maybe this was a part of the mind where I was originally supposed to be locked up by Homunculus, I thought. That was considering if he even intended on sparing this part of me, the part that remained very much human. What purpose that offered him, I had no clue, so I could only think that he made a mistake. I stepped forward, but it didn't look like I moved forward at all. As if I was just simply walking on the spot. It went like this for a few moments, that seemed like they were going on for far much longer than they actually were.

Then I saw dark little spots, and that signified at least _some_ sense of horizon. They were sitting down. After so much solitude I was glad that I wasn't alone. So glad that I didn't feel confusion, or think the question, "Who could possibly be in here with me?" None of that mattered. Besides, I already had a feeling as to who they might be.

"Hey!" I shouted, waving. I saw their heads turn, but I was still too far away to see their features. If they _had _features. They didn't have any intention of standing up to greet me, so I thought they didn't care because I was a stranger to them. So I called, hesitant at first but eventually I got it loud and clear; "Cid! Rosalyn! Hey!"

Now they stood up.

I saw colour spread out from where they were, and traveled to where I was at a very high speed. Alarmed, I stepped back. But I _tripped._ I fell onto my back, and as I sat up, I realized that I tripped over a _rock_. The colour I saw was an arrangement of greens and browns, and the textures I felt were rough when they got to me. _Grass._ I didn't get up.

"What's wrong, Urami?"

I sort of spaced out, but when that name reached my ears, I came back to see that the figures I saw so far away were at my side, looking down at me. They had features on their faces. Cid, with the dark hair I inherited, Rosalyn with the silver eyes, and many of the others I got something I didn't realize I had from them before. I recognized their names, too. I even saw Cecilia peak over Cid's shoulder. Of all of them, I felt that someone was missing.

Then I remembered Cid asked me a question. "Nothing," I said, hesitating. He tilted his head, and he offered me his hand. A lot of them did. Again I stalled, then seized it. All of them that didn't get a chance to take my hand took my wrist and shoulders instead. When I was on my feet they let go of me, surrounding around me and just waiting for me patiently.

"So you've finally accepted us?" Rosalyn asked me, smiling. I gave her a questioning look, and she continued; "We've been waiting for you for a long time, in here. We tried talking to you but you couldn't see us, not even hear us."

"Then, was it you who sent those visions to me?" I asked. I looked at Cid as well. "They were your memories after all."

Cid scratched his cheek. "No. Weren't us who sent them. Besides, the first one you got was from Tom, so how could he send it to you if he's not here?"

That was true. I was about to blame them for making me remember, making me throw away something I really cared for, but what good would that do? And who's blame would it be other than my own, having just tuned in with it? It was my mind that was trying to remember.

"So I can see and talk to you now because I've accepted you?" They nodded, and so I nodded. I looked around. "What is this place?"

"We don't know. We've been here for a long time."

I was silent, but I knew this had to be some part of my brain. I sighed. Then I asked, "Where's Margaret?"

They looked at each other sadly. I already knew the answer... she wasn't here. And I was hoping to finally meet the person I was transmuted from. "Why isn't she here?"

"We thought about it," Rosalyn said slowly, her eyes lowering to the ground, "and at first we didn't understand. We thought we died, and so we were going to see her again. But she isn't here with us because the Alchemist just wanted to use the things he had with him, to create you. Margaret's soul was long gone; only her body and our souls combined together. We realized we were inside you."

"I understand."

"But she does visit, you know."

I gave them the blankest stare that I could muster. "She _visits?_"

Rosalyn was about to answer me when she got this far-way look in her eyes. A lot of the other children got it too. Even Cecilia, who you'd expect to be too occupied with her infant thoughts. She mewed a worried, frustrated mew.

"She's fighting, isn't she?" one of the children muttered. "Who? What?"

"The homunculi came."

"Is she losing?"

"She's doing okay for being outnumbered one to three."

"Three homunculi?"

"No, two. Edward joined in. She tried to make Alphonse commit suicide."

My breath hitched. Had I really? How? Then it hit me; he showed me where his blood rune was, his link. Somehow, my sin tried to make him destroy it. I felt disgusted with myself. It was _my_ body. It was _my_ fault. I saw some of the children look at me, though I didn't notice. My eyelids dropped, nearly closed.

_You can do it, Edward, _I whispered. _Kill me._

"He'd never do that!" one of the children cried. My eyes snapped open in surprise. The boy took hold of my hand and shook it vigorously. His eyes shone fiercely. "He'd never kill you!"

The others joined in, taking hold of appropriate spots on my body and agreeing. It seemed my thoughts were not private here. But who cares; they were a part of me, and did it matter? Even so, they could provide me counsel. Even though I would not appreciate it at times, their advice and comfort just may as well prevent me from shaking to pieces.

"All you need to do is protect him," Rosalyn said. I blinked in confusion.

"How can I?"

"Your spirit's been severed from the functions of your body, but you can still influence it."

"How? In what way?"

Rosalyn shook her head. She wouldn't say anything, none of them would. It was something I was supposed to figure out on my own, and I felt irritated by this. My irritation was replaced by perplexity then, as they let go of me, and one by one, started to disappear. I wanted to call them back, but my throat allowed no such thing. Cecilia was last, floating in midair where she used to be on her brother's back, and she clapped her hands, then pointed to her heart. Was she trying to tell me something...? When she disappeared completely, I looked behind me. The fields just continued on.

"What am I supposed to do then...?"

I considered Rosalyn's last words to me. So, since my soul, or this human part of myself, was severed from using my body... the chance of me regaining it was slim to none. But she said that I can still influence...?

That was it, then. I had to get out of here and back beside myself. I was able to stall my body's movement from actually killing Edward. That was just the beginning. With all my mind, I wished to be free from this place, at least to stop whatever my sin may be doing. I needed to _believe _that I could do it.

I did believe.

This was MY mind! My soul had no mortal bounds, and never will!

* * *

"Come here, Elric! Don't you want to kill me?!"

The limit on destruction was non-existent. From transmutation to just raw, brute force, everything caved in on itself. Their battle now travelled the halls, lingering closer to the outdoors, where all the isolated people may get hurt.

Edward didn't want this. Right now, he didn't want to have anyone hurt. He didn't even want to hurt her. But what she tried to do was terrible, and if anyone other than her tried that stunt, he would have killed them. With her, he didn't know what to do. All hope to him seemed dead, and he could only work with a chance he didn't have. He wanted to at least disarm her, to overpower her, but nothing seemed to work. He told Alphonse to take Izumi and Tom out of there; the younger brother protested, but he was given the responsibility of his teacher and a kid, and _that_ he could not neglect. The homunculi were still here, and they attacked Malice from their own times and intervals, and she fought them off all the same. The only real interest she had was on him. Those cold malicious eyes followed him playfully.

He clapped his hands together, and transformed the cover-plate of his damaged automail arm into his most common weapon. This was the only thing he would do... he needed to at least protect himself. The dust and mist from the rubble of stone clouded in. He was blinded currently, facing down the hallway that he thought all of his opponents to be. But then;

"You can't see me, can you?" she whispered in his ear from behind. His eyes grew wide open. Before he could defend himself, her claws raked down upon his shoulder of his automail arm. Half flesh, half metal. He stumbled forward, but she seized his coat and pulled him back. Her fingers wrapped around his throat, already rough and caked with dry blood like metal rusted in the rain. In a matter of seconds, his feet hardly touched the ground; she was carrying him somewhere as he dazed out of consciousness slightly. He was losing blood. Was she really going to kill him...?

Her plan made itself evident as the noise ceased and the light darkened. She had fled with him from the homunculi, if only momentarily. She shoved him forward at their destination, scratching up the flesh of his throat a little, and he slightly crashed against a four-poster bed. They were in another of the Alchemist's unneeded rooms, far and on the other side of the mansion, and Malice closed the door behind her slowly, facing his ragged body, hunched and trying to regain his lost strength.

"Were you even _trying_, Edward?" she slurred, wandering over to him with careless footsteps. He panted, never breaking his eye contact with her. Her head tilted, and she looked like an owl having just spotted a vole under the underbrush. "Stop holding back and have at me. Or is it I've tired you out?"

His arm. His metallic arm. He couldn't move it. Had her claws pierced a circulatory connection, something crucial to even budging his artificial limb? He could do no alchemy, unless he used his blood, but that could be easily prevented. He couldn't even protect himself. She closed the distance between them and all he could really do was scoot back, holding the useless, dead weight of a right arm. She watched this with feigned disappointment.

"Don't let me down. I was hoping you'd give me a proper struggle. After all, I was sent to kill you. This is supposed to be a climactic moment." She got to him and placed her index finger lightly against his throat. He stopped moving. She smiled softly, the same owl eyes staring. "What if I go straight after Alphonse, and finish what I started?"

That flared him up, but he didn't know how to respond to it. He'd hit her once, but he didn't know if he could do it again. Al was always his brother before she was... Alphonse should always come first. He was the only family he had. If she killed Edward now, she implied she'd go after his brother next. But from how she was behaving, she wanted him enraged. She wanted a show. He wasn't going to give it to her. Not to this person who was now dead to him.

_Why, Urami?_

Her mouth curved downward, and the finger she caressed gravely on his neck trailed down softly, to the left side of his collarbone. It went over and in; she dug the tip and pierced his skin, hooking his collarbone, making him squirm and shout out in pain. She looked as if she planned to rip open his ribcage like this. His human hand immediately went to the site and tried stopping her, but she kept at her work. In response to this unaltered situation, he had no choice but to kick her away, and he made sure it was his automail leg that took the most, now what she could go unfazed. When he did it once, he felt terrible, but the more he did it, the more he believed less and less that Urami existed anymore.

Eventually she was pushed back entirely, smirking expectantly. None of his kicks really hurt. And how could they? Metal against metal. She was still about a foot or more away. He pressed his hand against his collarbone, grimacing. His strength was all used up now.

"That was... at least _decent_," she said slowly, and she crouched, so that she could bring her face right up to Edward's, tauntingly. "It's good to see you've let go of such sentimentalities. But it's too bad it's now, of all times. Right at the resolution. You can't even stand up."

Edward stared at her with weary eyes, and he sighed. "I have at least one thing to say."

"Last words, huh? Let me be your last witness."

He nodded, swallowing down his pride, one that was drenched with blood. "Even though you are not Urami, that she may never have existed, I have always, and will always, love her."

Malice seemed disappointed by this sentence. "Those are your last words...? Some send-off. It makes me sick." Her fingers clinked together in irritation, but she soon froze them, and laughed. "Fine. Your words meet empty air. Death's waiting."

Her hand looked like a blur to him, even at its slow, graceful arc. She reached forward.

It was then that I finally broke free. It took much more brain power than I ever anticipated, but I managed to get out, and what I returned to terrified me. _No!_ I screamed. Malice's head tilted only a millimeter, having heard me. She smirked wider, and I was enraged; perhaps she thought that I would leave her forever if Edward had been killed by my hand, banished with grief. I gritted my teeth and continued yelling. Then I remembered, what Rosalyn said. My words may have no effect, but I had a different way of intervening. I slipped into my body like it were my skin, as it used to be. But in this new method, I could see everything that was in my body, from my bone-slash-metal networking to my organs and inner systems. The one thing I didn't recognized immediately was my heart, which was merely a red stone, throbbing. Was this a Philosopher's Stone, one that Edward and Alphonse were searching all along and it was right beneath their noses? Right within Edward's touch? It has to be! But right now I had more important things to attend to. I reached for the hand that inched closer to severing my love's life.

What Edward saw was Malice's hand having some sort of spasm. The metallic ligaments rattled as if she was playing an instrument radically, and her joints jerked in their capable directions. Malice glared at it, then tried to kill Edward with her other hand. Just as her index grazed his nose, it, too, grew insane by my impact. Her upper lip curled savagely and she got to her feet.

"I thought I got rid of you!" she seethed at me aloud. I held on strong, holding on as if for dear life. "Stop interfering. This body is rightfully mine! You'll never get it back!"

Struggling with her like this was unproductive, I thought. Edward was in no condition to move and run, even if I somehow managed to use my body's voicebox to advise him. Even if I did, he'd stay, like the stubborn one he was, trying to 'save' me. So the only alternative I could see was... to make _myself_ run. Get away from him. I had to make her go, but how?

If she felt, or was, in any harm or peril. From any external force, that was not possible in this given situation. But internally... the Stone in my being came to mind, and I turned my spiritual eyes to it. It called for me as metal called for my sin. I had nothing to lose. Of course. That was her source. Now that I thought about it more deeply, Cecilia's movements seemed very much like pointing to her heart. She gave me a hint. One of my holds on Malice's hands let go, and though she rejoiced spitefully, my hand only chose another more dire thing to take, and to crush.

The Stone choked under my grasp, and Malice reacted with madness and agony. She stepped back a series of hurried steps and crashed into the door, grabbing for the center of her chest, pupils unnaturally small. "St-Stop it, you idiot! You'll kill me! You'll kill me and you!"

I supposed Edward was just too out of it to consider this weird exchange between my sin and I. In ways, I was grateful, and others, I was miserable. But what could I do other than do with what I was provided with? I continued to smother the life out of the Stone under my hold, chipping away from the compression. My sin gasped for air like a fish out of water, and she screamed wretchedly.

I heard Lust and Envy approach. Her scream had told them where she was. _Now you're the idiot,_ I mused. _I suggest you run away from here._

"I'm not a coward," she wheezed furiously. "And _he_... he's what I want. What I want to end."

_Why?_ I asked. Malice was an amusement of watching and causing pain of anything that moves. Why Edward specifically, when any victim would do just fine? The homunculi's advance grew more apparent. ..._get out of here or I'll kill the both of us myself._

Her eyes narrowed at the ceiling, mentally directing it at me. "Filthy _parasite!_" she cursed, but sincerely, there was nothing she could do.

Her own panting drowned out us hearing Edward's. She stepped away from the door and staggered over to the Fullmetal Alchemist. Seeing him, hurt and bloodied at my hand, made my heart groan, but I made sure to focus and keep the Stone ready to suffocate if Malice fought tried something.

"You're lucky this time," she breathed harshly to him. His eyes flashed alive again, as if he just dozed off for just a second. He saw her weak posture and wondered what happened in the moments his mind drifted before regaining itself. She went to reach for him again, but I grew impatient and squeezed her core again, and she flinched back. Her frown deepened. "Next time. Next time, it's over."

She directed her eyes to the covered window, and once reaching them she uncovered them to see the mountain wall's face, at the back of the mansion. Not bothering to opening it, she smashed the double latches of the window outward, and she carried herself and I, away, climbing to the top.

The homunculi came just as she fled, and they looked at Edward indifferently. Envy looked at Lust, sharing a silent exchange, and they both nodded. They needed the boy alive. So, as Lust leapt out in pursuit of Malice, Envy got up to Edward and grabbed him. "Don't worry, squirt; we'll have her caught real soon," he chirped. Edward was hardly able to hear anything he said. Envy thought this fine, and he smirked. "Malice is going to get what's coming to her!"

* * *

Night had fallen now; a whole day of running! From the early hours of the day, and now the sun bid adieu and disappeared under the horizon again. Not that the fleeing homunculus mourned the sun's dive Not at all. The cover of darkness was appreciated. She knew Lust was hot on her trail. Envy joined her not too long after their departure from the hidden village of Korius. Since then, Malice was heading south the whole way, and she was not getting tired. So why was she running, if she was capable of continuing the fight with the homunculi?

"Stupid parasite!" she cursed silently for the umpteenth time._ "You don't have to hold onto it anymore. We're miles away!"_

_I won't take any chances, _I told her coldly. I was here for good this time.

Malice had enough of running. Perhaps, after all this running south all day, they would continue if she just _stopped? _Or swerved? Who knows. She decided to go with the first one, and take cover against the deep undergrowth of the trunks of the trees. Her arms reverted to normal, seeing as they were no use anymore. The design of a homunculus, though, still remained.

"I'm not a _coward,_" she hissed, another frequent phrase she adapted. She said it even though no one said she was. She told me to shut up when I tried to say this, as she heard the homunculi nearby. With the thick silence, she waited. She even held her breath.

They flew right over. They were continuing south. After another length of agonizing silence, Malice stood up, restoring the natural flow of her breathing. She sighed, whispering.

"What now, smartass?"

I didn't say anything. I mean, what was there to do now? After a few moments of waiting for my response, she turned on her heel and ran at the same speed she always had, except this time, north. I clutched at her Stone of a heart and she crashed to the ground with a pained gurgle.

"Stop it," she breathed. I had no sympathy. I demanded, _Where the hell do you think you're going?_

"_Dublith_, where do you think?"

I gave the Stone another good squeeze for good measure, and she gasped in the dirt her face was pressed against. _That's where Edward and Alphonse are. I won't let you._

"Just because your precious little darling is there does not mean I don't have the freedom to explore."

_Why Dublith, then? Why not some other village, huh?  
_  
"We're in the middle of_ fucking _nowhere, that's why. Dublith's the closest, and just so you know, that's the last place the homunculi would look again. They think I've gone south, and if they catch on, they'd look in every direction. But would any of those directions lead back to Dublith? Maybe eventually, but I doubt firstly."

That, I couldn't argue against, but I still didn't want her to go anywhere near there. She closed her eyes slowly, and I wondered what she was doing. As I waited for her impatiently, something clenched down upon me. A hand, it felt like, on my shoulder. My perspective no longer lingered in reality, seeing through Malice's eyes. Instead, I found myself in the part of my mind I was in before. No Cid or Rosalyn or remembered children this time, though. Only my sin. And it stained the world black.

Ideally, she had no features but for the eyes that were curved and narrowed. She looked like a fox like this. Her body was only negative matter, disappearing in turfs at her shoulders, up. Her face and limbs were gleaming steel.

"Now listen to me well, human side," she told me snidely, and she pointed a finger at me accusingly. "You can't keep pulling the 'squeezing-my-heart-to-death' routine. I'm gonna die that way, and so will you, and then you'll never see your precious Edward ever again. Do you want that?"

"I'd rather you just give me my body back, thanks," I returned with equal mockery. Her eyes narrowed even more so; slits.

"You know as well as I do that that's never going to happen. I was in equal control at one point, when we woke up that day in the homunculus household, but then you had to push me out completely. I've just pushed you back. Deal with it."

I sniffed indifferently. "Then _you _deal with _me _making you _**squirm.**"_

She growled at me, shaking her head viciously. Then she sighed, and those eyes closed. She seemed to have disappeared into the darkness around her when they opened again, only an inch from my face. I flinched back.

"I promise I won't touch him, alright?" she said grudgingly. I blinked in response. She rolled her eyes. "I won't go near him or Alphonse. I won't even go near the meatshop for crying out loud. Okay? What I wanna aim for is downtown. We'll lie low. Deal?"

I was still edgy about it, but if she was lying, I would do as I did now; crush the Stone until she breathed her last breath. She knew this, so I don't know why she would lie. After a few moments drifted by, I nodded slowly. She nodded in response.

Malice got up to her feet in the foliage, sighing at the numbness. "You are one annoying little parasite," she muttered.  
_  
Tell me something I don't know, _I sighed, rolling my eyes.  
_  
End of Chapter_

* * *

_  
A/N:_

Wow. It feels like ages. And now my eyes hurt.

This chapter was sitting, neglected in my laptop. I swear, I was bombarded by school work, especially French. I wanted to retreat and get this done, but when I got the time, I always had some other distractions come up. For instance, today, before I actually FINISHED this, I was sewing up a head for a plushie. Fun fun, huh?

Seventeen pages, woo. Well, technically sixteen because this A/N starts the seventeenth page, but whatevs. What did you guys think? I hope the extra length kinda makes up for my absence... I'd like to thank all of you who read my story, I don't appreciate you guys enough. If it weren't for you I'd probably not be able to write things this crazy XD I stuffed the chapter with lots of action to make it more interesting. Sorry if there are some typos; I really don't want to read through the whole thing again, at least not today ;D

Anyway, thank you all for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night ^^

-Vixen


	20. Unclear

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's plots, ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 20

By dawn, Malice had arrived in Dublith, slowing down her speed to a more reasonable pace. I had dozed off during the first half of the journey, but now I was fully alert, observing my sin's movements now that were at our destination. We hadn't talked at all, and that was fine; I had no intention to talk to something so evil, and she had no intention to talk to some parasite, apparently. On the outskirts of town, where the trees thinned, she lurked about, mentally deciding where to enter from.

I did remember, before I zoned out in the first portion of the trip, that she sparked up some conversation. It started with nothing that surprised me, though.

"I _hate _you _so __**much**_."

_Funny, I feel the same way about you, _I returned, and truly I was disgusted with all of this.

"Oh, but you've only known me for what, one day? I've been stuck with you since the beginning. Did you know that I couldn't talk before? Couldn't think? Couldn't **feel? **Those were the days..."

That puzzled me. _What do you mean?_

"What I _mean... _it means that, because you exist, I'm cursed with a human influence, a.k.a, an emotional one. You're holding me back."

_Why the hell should my emotions effect you?_

"Well, as much as I don't want to admit it, you're still a part of me; a part that I'd gladly reject. Since you still cling to this body, I have to feel everything you do. They're like, some liquid that seeps into any defense that turns out to have small cracks in it. Get it? If you didn't stay, the only emotion I'd know would be..." Pause. "What is Malice to you?"

I stayed quiet for a few moments, and she taunted dryly, "What, do you need a dictionary?"

I glowered. She acted like _I_ was the insignificant tag-along. Maybe I was at that moment, but it was infuriating. _ Malice is the desire to hurt people and do evil things._

"Good. The only thing I SHOULD feel is this desire. But instead, I'm forced to feel this endearment you have with Edward."

What...? I saw a glimpse of her true form in a black space, cross-legged, her back to me. Her shoulders fumed up in their smog until they disappeared over her head. Her head was hunched a little, glowering.

_You feel for Edward?_

She didn't say anything for a moment as our body continued under her control. I heard her growl inwardly. "Against my better judgement," she said sourly. "I would never have to face this if only you'd just _die_. Being prevented from killing one little mortal because of these feelings pisses me off, and only makes me want to kill him more! How would you feel if you were forced with something like this?"

It caught me off guard that she asked empathy from me. It could only be a trick; I couldn't believe these words. _I don't care about you; you said so yourself that you weren't a person, and that's how you liked it. Why should I empathize with you?_

"It's not a matter of 'should'. I'm asking you a very direct question. But I suppose you're right for once; you shouldn't empathize with _me_, a sin personified. It's all beyond my grasp."

_She knows when to quit trying,_ I thought, a little bewildered. I would have assumed her to be very stubborn against me, like a disobedient dog... but she seemed pretty acceptant of things. She whined a lot, too, which was expected... but it didn't fit with a child's moan. Just a 'woe-is-me' groan.

She was a very confusing thing to understand. You think a sin would be one-dimensional.

That ended our exchange, and once actually reaching the edge of Dublith, she circled it.

"Where was the meatshop again...?" she muttered to herself. My transparent nostrils flared and I reached for the Stone.

"So that I can _avoid_ it?"

I retreated my fingers, reluctantly.

"Well? Do you remember which side?"

_I don't know. Why not find the train-station?_

She seemed to take that advice, though she didn't look like she acknowledged that it was my idea. She moved around the perimeter of the little town until, lo and behold, the train-station stood as it did days before, when I arrived with the brothers. It was painful to remember. The sign welcoming travelers still beckoned, but the warmth was no longer mine to relish. A new train with new arrivals unloaded and prepared for another adventure through the lands.

Malice watched the people stepping down on the platform hungrily. _What are you thinking?_ I asked suspiciously. She licked her lips.

"They look like the perfect people to torture. Can't you tell?"

_Apparently not. You won't get the chance._

"Of course I will. How do you expect me to function normally if I don't get my daily servings?" It was strange how she described torturing people like typical meals in a day. "If you deprive me of something I need, I'll eventually become more crazy than I already am and come back tenfold in an effort to get it. Not even your _inhumane_ method of choking me would effect me. This whole town would be massacred."

Her sarcastic pun made me bristle. I watched the people, too. A great, terrible but undeniable truth flooded my being.

_...how many do you plan to kill?_ I eventually asked. She seemed taken aback that I would ask anyway.

"...humans do tend to last quite a bit. One every other night, maybe two if I'm lucky."

I grimaced. Even taking one life was enough to make my stomach lurch. But I didn't doubt that, if I deprived her of this _luxury_ of hers, my trick to keep her under my influence wouldn't last. I would do more harm than prevent it. I exhaled through my nose, a little distraught, but I agreed to her terms. _But could you wait a few nights?_

"Why?"

_I don't want the brothers here in town. Once they're gone, then I'll... let you..._

I didn't like making deals, and I could tell she didn't, either. It was very restricting, and who would want to make deals with an enemy? She crouched, watching the people carry their luggage away and into the town. Most of them were accompanied by their families, either just singularly with their spouse or with a child or two. All of them seemed satisfactory enough for Malice. Not only that, she had a whole town to pick and choose her victim. Only two to five she would leave untouched. She would make the disappearances unnoticeable, if she could. If the thought of a serial killer crossed their minds, well, that just meant it was time to leave and get to another village to torment.

"My definition of exploration is being able to _go_ where I want and _do_ what I want... but I suppose I can abide by that little setback. Last time."

I kinda wondered whether she agreed to my compromises because she was threatened or because she was actually cooperating with me. Then I remembered; she just knew when to quit and accept things.

* * *

Night fell once again. From dawn to dusk, Malice walked down the back streets of Dublith, insignificant in the crowds; just another person. They did not see a homunculus. But just because they did not see it did not mean that she was not. She scaled the walls with the most shadows, because she knew too well that violet eyes weren't considered normal, let alone slitted ones. She considered more potential victims, memorized their faces and identified their businesses. For later. Right now she needed to find a place to stay. That was our only priority in this position. Just for now, until Edward gave up trying to find her, or me. And inside, I was kind of relieved that between the two villages present in this area, it was Dublith. It was better than staying in that cursed village. I closed that fairytale up...

Currently, as the dark sky opened its many, shining, twinkling eyes, Malice climbed onto the roof of a medium-sized building, one that neighboured a café. She seated herself against the wall that faced parallel to road below. She ran a finger over her upper lip in boredom, sighed, then closed her eyes. It looked like she was going to fall asleep.

_Malice? What are you doing?_

"Resting," she hummed. "I've been running all day. Gimme a break."

_But... that's my body, _I voiced. My brows knitted upwards. _And it's cold out here. I'll catch hypothermia!_

"Relax. As long as I'm in control, the cold doesn't effect _my_ body." She put great emphasis on the possessive pronoun. Her breath came more smoothly, and she really did look like she slipped into slumber. I didn't say anything more, because what more was there to say? I guessed she was right...

I mean, who was I kidding? It wasn't some other human I was dealing with here. She was a killing machine, not even a real being, but rather an artificial one. She could do far greater — and far worse — things that I could only think about. A little case of temperature would seem like nothing to her. As far as I knew, I didn't know a homunculus who got sick or died from illness.

I sighed and went into my own thoughts. I couldn't help but think about Edward. I left him in so much pain, both physically and emotionally. I couldn't stop the replaying of his body drenched in his blood, and my imagination just kept adding new things that I knew didn't happen, but they terrified me. I didn't want to recount them. I hoped he was healing now, physically and emotionally. Both would be for the best.

But with all my might, I couldn't fight against the urge to see him. Just... once. I didn't even have to talk to him. He didn't have to see me. I just wanted to know if he was all right. Maybe Winry would be there, under an urgent call to come to him. She was his closest friend; I could leave everything to her and I would be at peace. Screw the raging jealous that made me so human. That would just make me all the more similar to Envy. Winry would be there to fix his automail, and maybe do something to patch something I've destroyed.

The need to see him consumed me, so much. I wanted to see Alphonse, too, even though my body influenced his near-suicide. I wanted to see if Izumi recovered, I wanted to even see Tom, though I knew I'd never go to Korius. But as I know too fully well, my Edward was who I wanted to see.

After hours of trying to bury it, it prevailed and made me its mind slave. It was a good deal into the night that I couldn't take it anymore. I turned to my body and saw it sleeping deeply, arm crossed comfortably. The people in the café next-door dwindled to only a few who wished to stay for just a little longer.

_Malice,_ I prodded with my mind. She remained undisturbed. I tried again, and her nose only twitched. Third time, she tilted her head a different way, lolling on the neck. Once I got tired of trying to rouse her like that, a thought entered my mind and I wondered why it didn't come sooner. I reached into our body, found the Stone, and gave it a good pinch.

Her eyes snapped out wide and she gasped so strongly for breath that it seemed she just woke from a nightmare. Her hand shot her chest as if she had a heart attack and she toppled over onto her side. To say the least, I enjoyed that. Very much. I laughed a good laugh, one that I forgot how to do.

"For the love of your worthless soul, don't ever do that _again!_" she hissed angrily at me. I shook my head, recovering from my chuckles. Her eyes only narrowed at me more heatedly, and she huffed, getting back upright. She bumped her head on the way down, so now she scratched it ruefully.

"Why did you do that for?"

Reminded of why I did it in the first place, I grew solemn. She gave my transparent form a questioning look, and I took a breath, crossing my arms insecurely.

_I... I want to see him, _I whispered.

She didn't say anything for a second. Just staring. I could tell the gears in her head were hard at work, trying to conceive _why_. She couldn't understand... she said that she could feel what I feel, but she couldn't comprehend the strongest I had, which was love. She never could...

Her head tilted the other way, miffed. "You told me you didn't want me to go over there."

_I don't want you to go over there and do anything I wouldn't like, _I put as subtly as I could. She knew I didn't want Edward killed, or hurt even more. _I just want to see him. To see if he's okay._

I omitted any sad notes from my voice, but she gave me a skeptical look that I couldn't deflect. She shrugged her shoulders and rolled up to her feet by her heels.

"I'm only doing this because hell-knows-what you'll do more to cause me damage," she sighed, feigning a woeful moan. She even raised her hand and pressed the back against her forehead for effect. "You'll be the death of me, parasite. You truly will."

_You're a dramatic one, aren't you?_ I snorted. I smiled softly though, a little nervous. The meat shop was to the east of where she slept; she kept note of where it was every few minutes she walked about the town. Edward wouldn't be walking the streets yet, so that was why the sin chose to walk the streets more comfortably than one would expect.

For now though, travelling by the roofs of the buildings seemed more appropriate. She would go back to sleep or meditation afterwards no doubt. She was taking her time, as if she had all the time in the world. I, however, was impatient. I only wanted a peek...

The lights of the small shop seemed inviting enough, but, like so many things, it wasn't for me. Malice stealthily stepped along the walls of the upper floors, and as quiet as shadows she made from one area to the other. It made my breath hitch when she went as far as the actual roof of the meat shop. She was bloody _touching_ it. She glanced at the small chimney, half-hearted. She leaned down and brought her ear next to it. She heard Izumi's voice, speaking with no doubt her husband.

"The Elrics are in their room," she breathed, unenthusiastic. She turned around and got onto her belly, proceeding in an army crawl; she wasn't taking any chances of her footsteps being heard. She got to the edge of building and hung her chin over it, considering the rays of light from the brother's window that illuminated the bushes by it. She had her hair within her grasp so they wouldn't fall, and she closed her eyes, indifferent. She waited for me to take a look and go.

I heard the low thumping in my ears, ones of anxiety, and I slithered down unseen. Over the windowsill I went, feeling all surreal as a 'ghost'. I looked up to see Alphonse by the wall, resting, and Edward asleep in the bed beside me.

I wanted to cry right there... but I knew I couldn't. Not now. I've cried too much so far, and I can't afford it anymore. Besides, I was a spirit no one could see; it would make little difference, as tears didn't exist on my plane. Edward looked even more handsome than before, now that I couldn't have him anymore. His hair was let down, a little matted from all the dirt and sweat of the battles. The wounds both Malice and the Alchemist managed to inflict on him were covered with bandages, and some had the blood soaked up in it. I wanted to change them for him. His automail arm was removed and set on the counter nearby, and though he looked incomplete without it, I couldn't help by enjoy all of what was left of him.

I knelt by his side, smiling weakly. _I'm sorry,_ I breathed. Of course, he couldn't hear me... figures. But I didn't mind. I just needed it out, and I would like to say it as many times as my mortality allowed me. He was too good for me.

I felt Malice shift uneasily up above me, and I was puzzled. I got a flash of her true form, in the blackness she enshrouded herself in our mind, growing very stiff and tense. I didn't pay heed to it at all, as Edward needed all my attention right now. Just this once. I reached up my right hand and slowly stroked —or tried to stroke— his cheek. The contact sent a tremor through me, and through Malice as well. My knuckle caressed his flesh softly, then allowed my fingers to line his jaw. My sin was sending me warnings, but I didn't listen.

_I'm sorry._

I could of died of fright when he twitched, his brows knitted upward for a second. Malice, like a startled rabbit, ran for it, and I got dragged along with a whiplash effect. Edward, the meat-shop, my memories. They just slipped through my fingers... again.

Malice was shivering by the end of that endeavour. "You said a _peek_, and you go on trying to touch him. Do you _want_ me to kill him that much?"

Her words seemed so out of context. _But you ran,_ I said stiffly. _You ran like a—_

"_Coward?_ Is that what you're saying?" Malice laughed. "Your love from him seeped into me again. I don't want to feel this way for some human I hate. It's not fear. It's fucking defiance. I ran because I don't want and don't need this crap you give me."

_I don't understand, _I told her. Truly, I didn't. What she said, I couldn't comprehend.

"Now we're equal, huh?" she grunted. She turned her back on me with my body and continued to walk along the rooftops once more. "There are things you don't understand about me just as I don't understand anything about you."

Being connected to the body walking on its own, I drifted along quietly. Malice was fuming all along the way, silent but as tense as she was before. I couldn't help but wonder if she was_ actually in fact_ afraid. Afraid of the emotions she said I dumped on her. Her continual denial of cowardice just made it all the more suspicious.

_Hey,_ I said finally. _At least he didn't call out my name in his sleep._

She laughed scornfully. Whether it would be romantic or corny, I could tell she was glad he didn't.

* * *

_Well, doesn't that place look promising,_ Malice thought dryly, turning the corner into a much more secluded passageway. The next day, she began walking through a section she hadn't reached the day before, for more exploration. I saw it, and stared at it wearily. My sin's fingers glided across the stone of the upcoming buildings, and soon she came to the even smaller passage, which led to a metallic staircase leading downward. She descended it without hesitation — or was it caution?— and she came upon the front door. There was a similar sign on it, just as there was a sign above; The Devil's Nest. I didn't like the feeling of this...

Malice knew it was a bar, because she could already smell the alcohol and the loud ruckus of men's voices. Being a "devil's nest', the people would no doubt simply ignore that a young "lady" walked in, engrossed with their own business.

I hoped nothing bad happened.

Malice pushed the door open and stepped inside. A cloud of smoke crashed into her face, and she tried not to inhale any of it. This did not mean she was weak, but rather such pollutants were best not absorbed. There were tables set up where men were sitting and playing a variety of gambling games, from chips to playing cards. There were women, too, but not the type one likes to see unless looking for someone to sleep with. Alcohol, hookers, gambling; seemed like an ideal place for sinners. The homunculus took a seat at one of the counters, in the corner, by herself. She doubted Edward would ever think to come in here. She refrained from looking at anyone, saving the torturing for a much more appropriate time.

_Appropriate place you've picked, _I sniffed indifferently. She grunted quietly, and the bartender looked at her strangely. He didn't dare come over though. _You plan to sit here in this corner for hell-knows-how-many-days?_

"Just 'til night falls again. I want to observe what I've got around here for my benefit."

_Uh huh, sure._

She was about to snap back with something that would really deem her an odd one in this bar, but then someone invaded her solitude when they sat on her right. She forced her gaze to focus on one of the bottles on the back shelves of the bartender's. The man sighed contentedly, stayed silent for a few moments, then laughed. He had a rather deep voice.

"Oh, I see. You like that one? Well then; Bar-Keep! Hand me two glasses and that bottle of white wine."

The bartender did just as he was told, and after receiving the man's money, he pulled up two said glasses and, unexpectedly, the bottle Malice was staring at. Once the order was finished, the man beside her uncorked it and poured some into a glass. Next, that glass was set before her, but she refused to look down at it, at his hand, at anything. What was he playing at?

"So what brings a young lady like you down in this rathole? What's your name?" he said in a conversational tone, tipping the light alcohol into his own glass. Malice left hers alone.

"My name doesn't matter anything," she told him tonelessly. "And I'm just here. I don't feel as if I belong anywhere else, so I'm just here."

"Oh, here to drown your sorrows. The common case... but usually the old, poor men do that."

He irritated her. She side-glanced at him to study him. He was mostly garbed in dark colours. He had black leather pants that clothed him closely, a dark brown muscle shirt to match, and a black vest with fur at its collar. I looked up to his face to behold his profile; he was a fully-grown man, with sharp features and a powerful jaw. His short hair was forced back in dark turfs. He wore sunglasses that rode on the bridge of his nose loosely, allowing him to look over them. He noticed her looking and grinned without turning his face. She noted the sharpness of each of his teeth, and wondered if he was aware that he looked like a shark.

"Now hold on, did I anger you?" he slurred. "Usually the ones with the best kick are the fiery ones."

Malice let out a disgruntled sound, glaring at him. "I came here for some time alone," she hissed. "Leave me alone."

"You chose the wrong place; this here's the Devil's Nest, and last time I checked, everyone's a sinner. So you've no chance of being alone." He finished his first glass of wine, then he poured himself another portion.

The Ouroboros. On his left hand. Malice's brows furrowed, then she turned to face him and rest her left elbow on the corner. She shoved the glass he set in front of her back to him, and he momentarily watched the liquid dance within it. He then faced her, too, and she saw his eyes. Violet, and slitted.

"Greed?"

His expression did not change much; his suave, nonchalant gaze was only complimented by the risen brow. "Who's asking?"

Second time. She glowered. "You were supposed to be imprisoned."

"Well, now I'm free. You're very curious; a little girl like you shouldn't know so much. Makes me wonder where you heard it from."

She stayed silent, and he turned back to swallow his poured portion, then started refilling. She contemplated whether or not to display the truth. Considering that her Ouroboros was now permanently active and she was capable of controlling herself, she saw no reason why not. And Greed was a renegade, just like her.

She showed her right hand up. He glanced at it carelessly, and then his cool grin dropped. His eyes widened in bewilderment, and he spilt the drink he was currently pouring over the countertop. He managed to set the bottle upright with a clang before more was wasted. He pushed the stool he sat on back.

"How—?!" he breathed. He looked at his own tattoo and showed it up. "How can you—? Are you my copy? What's the deal? Has one of us died or something?"

"Stop mumbling like a drunk idiot," Malice mumbled. She rose her brow and waved her right hand. "Opposite, knucklehead. Yours is on the left, mine on the right."

He took a few seconds to absorb what she just said, and then he pulled the stool back under him, with the same surprised expression, the kind which settle like seeing someone sprout two more heads on their shoulders. He compared their hands, and then he understood.

"Well, now I'm not wondering anymore," he muttered. "You're... a homunculus."

"Bravo," she sighed sarcastically. She turned back to facing the counter and she pressed her head against the cool wood. She saw me sitting cross-legged, watching intently, and it irritated her even more. It was fun watching her being harassed, but I hoped she didn't do anything stupid.

"And you're alone? Aren't you on _their_ side?"

"Used to. Not anymore. I don't need them."

Greed took his time contemplating. "And your name?"

Third time. She rolled her eyes. As if it really mattered to him. "Malice."

Again with the silence, but she felt his gaze on her absolutely clearly. He held it for so long, she felt the cold fingers of awareness tap softly across her neck. Then, he made a sudden move forward, and she whipped her head around to face him as she leaned back to compensate. She hit the wall in the corner with her back anyway, and it turned out he only wanted to get closer to tower over her, like he wanted to tell her a secret. He had a smug look on his face that she could not trust.

"Come with me out back."

"What for?" she barked acidly. There was something sickly laced in his words. She thought, being Greed, that was the only Deadly Sin he lived and knew. He blinked, then laughed under his breath.

"I just want to introduce you to a few friends. Malice, you're free, just like me. So why not stick together?"

"Because I don't need anyone, especially some other damned homunculus on the run!"

He turned his head slightly and gave her a look that kind of looked as if he knew something she didn't. "Just what are you afraid of? Getting caught?"

"I'm not afraid," Malice bared her teeth. I even mouthed to her wearily, _I'm not a coward, _and that made her even more ticked. "I don't need help, I told you. I'm waiting for something to blow over, and—"

"But exactly _what_ do you think will blow over?" He chuckled, and he stepped to the side and closed in on her. So now she was trapped by both the wall and the counter; fabulous. He placed his hand on her shoulder from a side-position and brought his mouth to her ear, and she swore that she couldn't comprehend what she felt at that moment. Something mixing with sudden rage. How dare he touch her like a friend, breath into her ear like some seducing lover. "Do you think Father and the others would forget about you? They'd hunt you until you're in their hands again, and hell if I know what they'll do to ya."

She already knew that. One way or another, the homunculi would capture her if she wasn't careful. She wouldn't be able to outrun them, even if she didn't have my restriction of keeping Edward's trust anymore. She was free of everything and yet she was still haunted. Haunted by me, a constant pain in her side. And the time... homunculi lived forever, didn't they? She didn't think she could keep up eternity hiding and moving from place to place.

But really, although she seemed like she had a plan, she really didn't. That part surprised me, when that thought passed through as if stating the weather. She admitted something.

"Come with me," he breathed, his breath rather warm, making Malice develop gooseflesh without her permission. His eyes were closed to the point that the slits were dominant and noticeable.

Malice stood up from her stool, and he straightened up himself, waiting for her answer. She looked up at him with a side glance to see him smiling, and he rose his brows, beckoning. She closed her eyes, then shrugged. I rested my hands on my knees, shaking my head aggressively, _no, _but I knew I had no sway on her right at this moment.

"Lead the way."

"Well then! Pleasure making business with you," he said as he clapped her on the back lightly. She growled at him, and he took away his hand. "Touch-y," he chimed, still smiling.

He nodded to another set of stairs, much more luxurious than that of the entrance stairs, and he lead the way. She followed him warily, to see if what he said was sincere and that he would keep his word. She wasn't even sure he really _had_ friends, the creep. But she seriously had nothing to lose.

When they got to the stairs he actually waited and motioned her to go ahead of him. Normally a gentleman-like gesture, but she wasn't buying it. She didn't like it, and she gave him a dirty look. He just shrugged it off suavely, and since he didn't move an inch, she sighed and went ahead of him. Her mind went nuts with paranoia, the thought of him behind her. Honestly, I did too. It was MY body, and I had every right to be worried over it, even if I knew Malice wouldn't let it be damaged more than it needed. She descended the stairs cautiously, and she felt him follow, and into the momentary dark they passed. Soon at the bottom, there was another dark corridor with a few fluorescent lights flickering, and they continued on. She saw a closed door up ahead, and upon reaching it she grabbed the rather decent-looking doorknob and opened the door. There before her was a much more private, yet elaborate room. There was another bar, but with much more variety, and there were comfortable couches and armchairs set here and there. Looked like a reserved section of the Devil's Nest. Currently there were no people in the room, and good riddance.

Malice lingered, looking at her surroundings favourably. She supposed Greed noticed —who was she kidding, if someone in front of her just stopped right in her way she'd notice too—, and he observed the look on her face.

"Okay, I see you like it," he grinned. "Stay here. I'll bring 'em to you instead. Don't move, all right?"

She didn't really say anything, just pretty much went up to one of the couches and sat down on it. Really comfy. She found herself leaning back and resting her neck and head on the back cushions and closing her eyes. She heard Greed laugh softly and leave, and she smirked to herself. She would cherish these moments alone at last.

_Not alone. Never. I'm stiil here._ I smiled slightly. She groaned.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N:_ To all of you I offer my deepest apologies X'D

It's already close to end of my March Break and I decided to work on this now. Well, technically I was already working on it throughout the week, but it was mostly just going through it over and over trying to write more into it. But at least one thing's for sure...

GREED APPEARED! XD -heart- -heart- -heart-

Since I was already obsessed with Greed for a while, I've already written some dialogue and story between him and Malice, stored in another document. Relax though, it's not going to be some new love-triangle or some random thing like that. It's an Edward love story, and that's how it'll stay. Mind you, just WRITING about Greed makes me happy. And how Malice thinks later will be greatly effected ;)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter ^^; I hope to write the next one soon!

Vixen

P.S. The numbers of the chapters have grown less because I edited the first few chapters into one-two chapters. I hope I didn't confuse you :D It was a good suggestion from one of my reviewers that I wanted to take up. ^^


	21. Accord

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's plots, ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 21

Greed was fast, unfortunately. When Malice tuned back in to her surroundings, she saw many people in the room, all in worn-out clothing, ones that grow torn from work, age, and even battle. They all looked at her as Greed stood aside, with his arms folded and a nonchalant smile on his lips.

"She's got eyes like you, Mr. Greed," a large man said, and he sort of reminded me of General Armstrong and Izumi's husband at the same time (muscle, then the permanent glare). "So she's another homunculus."

"Did you doubt my word?" Greed feigned a voice of hurt, and a woman with dominant but pale lips turned to him and smirked.

"There are a lot of crazy things that come out of your mouth. It's the greed, you know?"

"Can't change that, now can we?" Greed laughed, and he shared a knowing look with the woman. He caught Malice's eye and he nodded. "Alright, let me introduce you to my crew."

Roa was the first one that spoke, the huge man with the frown on his face and a menacing look. But in reality he wasn't as menacing as he looked, which proved you can't judge a book by its cover. Then, there was Martel, who gaveMalice a nod of acknowledgement. She was very slim, and she looked very flexible, despite her tough form in her army clothes. The one I hadn't heard from before was Dolcetto, whom gave her a salute of greeting, more half-hearted than enthusiastic. There were others, but they seemed like minor characters, if that definition could be understood.

Though one caught her eye. Bido, if she caught that right. A strange-looking one, garbed in ripped clothes. He had a goofy smile, which was easy to get used to, but his posture and his skin tone were not natural.

And neither was a tail.

Malice kind of just stared at the place it had once been numbly, fist in her cheek, brow raised. But considering she was in the presence and a focus point of these people, they noticed, and somehow they understood immediately. They all smiled, except Bido, who was a little in the dark.

"What?" he said, clueless. His tail swept across the floor behind him again. Same skin colour, with many liver spots. It looked real to her.

"You're not human either, huh?" Malice said, trying to sound unmoved. She should have expected that humans wouldn't work for a homunculus, with knowing that he was one.

"No," Roa said, and a small smile touched his features. "We're chimaeras."

"We're an advanced form of chimaera," Martel continued, seeing the new one's blank stare. "We were humans at one point, but scientists experimented on us and mixed our genetics with beasts. We were the only successful ones. We've only escaped from the abandoned laboratory we were forgotten in a few days ago."

"Abandoned laboratory?" Malice questioned, feeling a sense of revelation. "Was this per chance in Central? Laboratory 5?"

"The same as the old heap that it is now," Greed verified. Malice brought a hand to her head, then sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. So that's what I saw escaping the ruins. The forms, and the animalistic noises. That was Greed, and the chimaeras that were following and still following him. I decided when the lab exploded, it set them free.

They told Malice the random facts. Dolcetto was linked with a dog. Martel was with a snake, and indeed, she even showed how long she could stretch her limbs, and Malice sat there, impressed. Before her eyes, Roa grew horns and his muscles grew tenfold, and he was genetically mixed with a bull or some kind of cattle, which made sense of how big he was. Then of course, Bido was a lizard, and he was one in our company that kept his reptilian features permanent.

"Well then, that's done and over with," Greed said at last, and it must have slipped Malice's awareness but he had wandered behind the couch. He leaned down against the back and slung an arm on her shoulder, grinning at his friends. "I'd like all of _you_ to meet Malice, who'll be staying with us for now on."

Malice gave him a side-glare. "I haven't decided that yet," she hissed at him, stiffly pinching one of his fingers in her own and lifting his hand off. "I don't even think I need deciding when it comes to _you _to begin with."

"Whatever you say, sweetheart," he shrugged his shoulders. Malice rolled her eyes, and Martel laughed.

"She's got a good head on her shoulders; she's not at all interested by your charm. I like her!"

The other chimaeras laughed, and Greed swatted them away. Soon they left, off with unknown businesses to attend to.

"Nice pieces of work, aren't they?" Greed said, seating himself . He learned fast; he sat at the other end of the couch from her.

"They're actually normal people, in a sense. I don't understand why they're with a sleaze-bag like you."

"Sleaze-bag? How insulting. They have no where else to go, Malice. They're people of the underground, just as normal humans walk around in the sun. We stick together."

"Don't tell me you have any sentimentalities?" she said, side-glancing at him. "I wouldn't have expected this of Greed. Shouldn't you care only for yourself?"

"Haha, see, there's something strange about being Greed," he chortled, and he leaned back, his arms lining the back of the couch. He lifted his hands up a little. "I'm called Greed because I'm greedy. I want girls, but I don't want to really do anything with them. I want money, but I don't want to spend it, unless it gets me more things to hoard. I want fame and prestige, but in reality, it doesn't matter. Hell, I want _everything_, but I don't need it."

"And your point?" she sniffed indifferently. He held his index finger up and gave her a suave look.

"All my underlings, from greed's perspective, is a pawn, and thus my possession. I don't abandon my possessions."

She pursed her lips. "You have no emotion for them, then? If one gets killed, you don't care?"

"As far as my sin is concerned, no." He closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. "Though I'd probably get back at the people who killed them, one way or another. Maybe that could be close to avenging a friend's death?

"They're my underlings, that's all. They know that themselves. It's their choice to follow me, and it's their choice whether or not to cling their feelings to me."

"Such a philosophy," Malice commented, resting her cheek on her fist. She looked down to the floor and studied the dirt smears and stains, as well as the patterns of the nice rug, despite being soiled. I sat, cross-legged, at the other end of the room, watching them. I caught Malice's eyes, but she adverted them indifferently.

"And what feelings do you feel, huh?"

The word 'feelings' always meant something else to her, _other _than the typical definition of emotion, and her stomach cringed slightly. It's all because of me, she blamed. She didn't answer right away, and Greed probably thought that she had more layers than met the eye. "Malice?"

"Hurting people. That's the only feeling I have."

She wished it was always the case, from the beginning. Her human side should have died, but it didn't. It would have been so much easier, too, if it had died the night she was created.

"I like it when they're in pain."

It made her pain seem dull in comparison.

"Spite, contempt, all kinds of urges to torture... that's why I'm Malice."

"Quite the introduction," Greed applauded softly. She sighed in annoyance and shut her eyes. "Any other info you can offer? Why are you here?"

"Well, you kinda dragged me down here—"

"No, I mean, why are you _here? _In Dublith, of all places?_"_

Malice didn't say anything, but her eyes opened slightly, looking down at the floor again. "I'd rather not say," she told him. His head tilted casually. "I'm not going to open up to a stranger, even if they're a homunculus, too—"

"What are you talking about? What more am I supposed to tell you?" Greed got to his feet, laughing. He rooted himself in front of Malice, standing with his hands up and knees slightly bent. He had a friendly grin as his face. "You tell me why you're here if I tell you why _I'm _here. Sound good?"

Before my sin could interject, he continued.

"I'm Greed, and I've gotten most of the things on my check-list. Girls, pawns, money, some fame here and there. But there's one thing that I truly want, and am MOST determined to get. Immortality. Homunculi can live for a very long time, but we can eventually get killed, and I'm not gonna take any chances. Now, from what I've got from our sources, there's someone here in Dublith that they say can live forever!"

Malice's brow twitched upward, in mild interest. It was something she hadn't heard of, but it was also something that she wouldn't care enough to venture for herself. She didn't have the greed for it, pun intended. All in all, she wasn't interested in gaining it herself, but she was curious upon seeing this person, or seeing Greed succeed.

"Who is this person?" she asked suspiciously. "This is the first time I've heard of this and I've been in Dublith for a while..."

"See, he doesn't actually live here, to say the least." Greed spun on the spot, took a few paces forward and stroked his jaw thoughtfully. "They say he's visiting someone with his brother, and they'll be leaving soon, as soon as things go back to normal."

I didn't like the sound of this. What exactly did he mean by that...? Back to normal? Brothers? The only thing that was out of the ordinary recently was...

"Ready for it? He's a soul connected to a suit of armour! How's that for a twist?"

Malice jumped up to her feet, and when Greed turned around, she had already stormed past him. He looked after her in bewilderment, and as she reached for the doorknob, he called out, "What gives, Malice? Where are you going?"

"I'm not interested in whatever you've got cooking," she seethed. I kind of understood why she acted in such a way; she had just gotten away from anything concerning the brothers, and now she was thrown back into the dance she just got out of. The dance wouldn't stop because I stopped her from finishing it. "I'm leaving."

"Hey, hey! Come on! You seemed interested enough when I mentioned immortality—" Malice swung the door wide and trudged down the hall, with me following smoothly. Greed's pursuit was much more rushed. "It's only when I mentioned him being armour that you shoot like a bullet. Is he who you're running from?"

"Not him!" she snapped, "But—"

"Malice—"

His hand clamped down on her shoulder and she writhed, having just enough. She spun around quickly and whipped her arm out, her arm already morphed into stainless metal, her claws curled, planning to tear his face off. I shouted out to her to stop, but it was already done. Her blow connected with his flesh.

His coal-black, glinting flesh.

Malice's breath heaved, but she was enraged by what had just occurred. She stepped back with her arm still up and ready to strike. A part of Greed's face was transformed into some dark matter that had a raven-blue sheen to it, but her claws left nasty scars on its surface. Some parts of the edges crumbled and drifted to the floor, like sand. He stared down, perplexed, and he brought a hand up to catch some of the dust. The substance he was made of created a new coat, in a form of regeneration, and the scars disappeared. She drew out no blood out of him, and it infuriated her.

"You _scratched _my shield," he said in wonder. He laughed out loud. "You scratched my shield! I don't believe it!"

Malice growled and turned her back, continuing down the hall out of there. Greed chose not to take Malice's attempt to kill him as a warning.

"Leave me alone, Greed; I'm done with you."

"Wait, Malice. Geez, what are you made of? This is—"

"Not your business," she barked, and she turned around again, pushing her rigid fingers together and posing them at his throat. He stopped where he was, holding his hands up as if in surrender, but his smirk made a mockery of it. Her eyes narrowed. "It was _slightly_ interesting, hanging out with a renegade homunculus, but I don't plan on staying with you. You wanted me to meet your friends. I have. Now I've got other things to do."

"What other things?" he asked dryly, brow raised. Her mouth opened slightly to utter something, but it closed again.

"Again, none of your business—"

"You have nothing. You have no where to go. I've got everything for you!"

"How? We've only met a few minutes ago and you think you have all the answers?"

"More answers than you can find out there I reckon," he jerked his index finger up, indicating the floor upstairs. " Come on, Malice. Stay with us. I'll give you anything you want."

"Why are you so desperate, Greed?" She stepped closer, and the flesh of his throat enveloped itself in his 'shield'. Her fingers slide upwards to his jaw, as if she could plunge her daggers up and into his brain. But she knew that wasn't possible. His smirk dragged down a little at her question. "So what... if I stayed, I'd only be a disobedient pawn. Would that interest you?"

"Well, sure, of course it would," he said, perking his smile back up. Her eyes rolled to the ceiling, lip curling. His hands fluttered a little. "But you'd still be a very useful partner all the same."

"Partner?"

"Yeah. Like I said before; why not stay together? We're the same. And much more the same than I originally thought..." His hand inched over and tried to grasp her hand, but she yanked it back.

"We are NOT the same!" she roared, and she leapt at him, who seemed prepared for it.

She tried to cut him, gut him, anything. But he only evaded her attacks, both by dodging and blocking, using his now-morphed arms. In comparison, her skeletal-like structured arms looked like twigs against his dark, muscle-entwined fore- and upper arms. Again, her claws raked up the surface of his glazed skin, leaving jagged trails behind before they regenerated again. He didn't come close enough to hit her himself, and this dance of his annoyed her. She wanted him to at least try and fight her; it was insulting, to let her lead an un-progressive fight. She looked at the tips of her fingers and noticed them wearing down, becoming dull. This was getting her no where.

So she tried to hightail it. But Greed ended up lunging for her and bringing her to the ground.

"I don't fight with girls," he said gruffly. "Seriously, you need to calm down."

She wriggled underneath so that she was on her back, and before he could react, she shot for his abdomen. Succeeding. She finally pierced his flesh — for her fingers were still sharp enough—, and briefly felt the muscles that her hand shot through. She smiled triumphantly, especially at his frown. It took her a moment to realized it was an _unimpressed _frown.

"Come on, sweetheart," he whispered, a little reprimanding, grabbing her wrist. He slowly pulled it out of him, gleefully covered in his scarlet blood. In an instant, the wound Malice was so proud of closed up in a show of crimson sparks. He proceeded to grabbed her other wrist, then pinned both to the ground. "How long ago did you wake up? You have to know by now we don't die so easily."

She didn't feel any good-enough metal around. The ventilation and electrical pipes were too far into the rock, and if she tried to use them anyway, the building would suffer collapse, and that would draw attention. That was a little inconvenient...

She glowered bleakly. "Get off me," she demanded.

Surprisingly, he got off after a few moments of consideration. He stood up and stepped back, leaving Malice slightly pushing herself up from the ground, with her hands supporting her and one lonely knee bent.

He scratched the back of his head, smiling softly. "You've got quite the temper, don't you? Y'sure you aren't named Wrath?"

"Tch!" She backed up along the ground a little, then got to her feet. She turned on her heel and proceeded to leave, until she stopped again to his voice.

"Come on, Malice."

"I'm not coming on," she answered stiffly. "I can't exactly work with anyone. I don't need help, I don't need company... I don't need _anyone_," she addressed me here, too, and I closed my eyes, sighing, "to be anywhere _near_ me. So just... forget it."

"I told you, I'll give you anything you need," Greed reminded her.

As to why he fought so hard, she had no idea, and he was the type that would never admit why. It was most likely some reason drenched in avarice, something planned that he thought her presence would benefit him. Or perhaps, I thought... Well, he defied the homunculi. He was the only one who did for a long while, and faced them alone. Perhaps someone like him existing now brought him some comfort, if that was the right word? That's coming from me, a _human_-like entity, so I wasn't at all too sure that was the case. The rational thought was the first one.

But on the other hand, what I rationally thought of Malice didn't shine out that clear, neither...

_Let's stay, Malice,_ I told her at last. I floated over so that I was in front of her. Her eyes widened and her brows arched angrily, making her look utterly out of her mind. Her teeth bared as she mouthed "What?!" to me. My mouth drew a diagonal line, thinking.

_We really don't have anywhere else to go. We were looking for a place to hide, and he's pretty much offering it with flashing lights. You think he's gonna use you? Well, we'll just use him back._

She glared daggers at me, but her eyes dropped to the floor as she took my words in.

"Anything?" she asked tonelessly.

"Yes, anything." Greed jumped on the lowered defence like a shining opportunity. "And I don't care if you don't want to tell me anything. It's all good."

"A place to stay?"

"Yes."

Her eyes closed pleasantly, and she smiled spitefully. "Victims, for me to play with without suspicion or consequence?"

My jaw dropped, and I was about to interject with her but I saw Greed grin, and he chuckled knowingly. "As many as your heart desires," he purred.

She turned on the spot and exchanged her eyes with his. I mentally smacked myself in the face, regretting my decision. "You have yourself a deal, Greed. I'll trust you to hold your word."

He nodded with a toothy smile, and even bent down in a mocking bow, a hand held at his chest, pledging. "By all means. Would you like your first sample? May require some play-acting, but I'll get him to you."

Malice's arms reverted back to normal, and she crossed them. "Enlighten me."

* * *

The sun took its daily dive into the horizon once again. This time, this night would be productive. She would finally have someone to kill, after her first was the Alchemist, and her second could have been Tom, or Edward. Though she disapproved of taking off her shirt to wear something more _revealing, _and having jewellery and perfume envelope her in erotic invitation, the end result was all she wanted. Greed now escorted her up the stairs into the main bar with his hand on her hip. He already found her victim beforehand, and was bringing her to... introduce him to her.

"You're lucky you're made of whatever you are," she said to him mildly through clenched teeth. "This is the last time you'll escort me like this, ever."

"I know," he said blissfully. "Me and the rest leave in the night anyway, to look around and set up things. Tonight I'm just a little late for the rendez-vous. Starting tomorrow, I'll only give a word to some slow sucker each night and they'll be all yours."

"Beautiful," she said. Then she closed her eyes with contempt and she voiced; "Don't interfere."

That was more addressed to me than to Greed.

Greed simply laughed, and then the both of them entered the odorous bar filled with drunk and gambling men. Greed directed her to the corner of the room, but needless to say, some men noticed her petite figure lingering in their realm. Perverted, some tried to reach out and grab her, but she evaded their grasp. Greed sent them looks that sent them back to their businesses, which was rather helpful.

At the counter where they arrived at, there was a man with money wrapped in his fingers. He turned to them, then his eyes immediately fell upon her, and he stared.

Greed squeezed Malice closer, taunting the man. Her teeth ground harder together when he did that. "So, I see you find my whore interesting enough?"

"She's engrossing," the man said. He was middle-aged, and not at all attractive. I was terrified and disgusted of what he'd do to my body. He took Malice's hand and kissed it softly, and her lips strained up into a painful smile. The man gave the money he had to Greed, and the older homunculus pocketed it, grinning.

"Vivian knows the way to the bed," he said knowingly. Malice forced a seductive laugh. "I hope you have a good night."

Greed winked at Malice and left through the door to meet with the chimaeras. Malice, though tempted to throw everything to oblivion, allowed the man to cup her breast and buttocks, just to feel what it was he paid for, and to reel him in. She took his hand and led him through the bar, down the stairway, and down the hall. I followed, very, VERY tempted to constrict her heart, the Stone.

_I can't believe this._

"Then don't," she breathed. The man behind her seemed zoned out, most likely anticipating whatever he planned to do. "He won't even lay a finger on me. And if you can't stick around for the gore, then go hide in the back of my mind." I was about to say something more when she mentioned, "Don't you miss those brats?"

Well, I hadn't seen or spoken to Cid and the rest of them... so I agreed. I couldn't do anything to stop my sin, so why should I stay out there? I disappeared and entered the white space, which soon grew of vivid vegetation when the children came to greet me.

Malice and the man passed by the small secluded-and-elegant bar where she met the chimaeras, and they continued down to the very back. There were a number of doors that they passed by, but the one Malice focussed on was the last. She stopped and turned around, smiling.

"After you."

The man, not knowing any better, reached the door in front of her and opened it. When he saw it to be bear and filled with simple shelves and boxes, he turned around.

"What the hell is all of this shit—?"

Malice grabbed him by the throat, metal glinting in the dim light. She shoved him inside, watched him stumble into the wall. The door closed behind her firmly when he pressed his back against the opposite wall, terrified.

"Wh-What are you?! Some sort of freak? Monster?!"

Malice's eyes diluted slightly. She hummed. "Close enough."

* * *

Greed and the chimaeras came back in the very early hours of the morning. As his underlings hit straight for their private bar and the armchairs, Greed himself proceeded to the back of the building, where he showed Malice the rooms to her disposal. He went straight for the very last room to drop by and see how she was doing, but when he got there, he found the room vacant. All he saw was the dark, soiled stain of drying blood in the corner, and the generous trail left behind leading to the manhole, the passage to the sewers. He showed it to her so she could ditch the body when she was done. Although, regardless if she was done or not, he expected her to be at least somewhere in sight. He exited the room, closing the door, and stood there, thinking. Then he noticed one of the other rooms — a bedroom — to have its door opened by just an inch.

He walked over and peeked inside, and lo and behold, Malice was in bed. He quirked an eyebrow and entered. He had a feeling that if she was awake, she would try to beat him down to hell for entering, but she seemed out-cold as it was. When he was at her side, he snapped his fingers in front of her face. It was like she was in a coma, but to lighten everything, she had a small smile on her face.

He straightened up, pondering. "Homunculi don't sleep..."

He double-checked her right hand which, he noted, she didn't even bother washing. He managed to find the Ouroboros camouflaged against the stranger's blood. She was a homunculus all right. But why was she sleeping? He was living proof that they didn't sleep...

Her shoulders were bare. After looking at her for a few moments, just observing, he pulled the covers up and tucked her in. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and sighed.

"Nice, Greed. Look at you," he said to himself musingly. "Baby-sitting."

But really — I thought, sitting by her on the bed myself —, I didn't think he saw her as a child.

_End of Chapter_

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_A/N: _What in tarnation? :O

I actually got you a chapter almost within a day after the other X'D But that's because I took half the chapter from my store of Greed-inspired excerpts. Surprisingly, the rest of the chapter was inspired TODAY. Weird, huh? It's probably because I'm supposed to be doing my March Break homework, and tomorrow, school starts.

Heh.

Well, I hope you like! :) More Greed for me and other Greed lovers -heart- There might be some friction between him and Malice (the actual SIN Malice, not Urami Malice), but we'll see. Dunno if it's too predictable. Besides, Malice is going to crash horribly sometime, might as well give her some slack.

On another note, if some of you can't write up reviews, that's not your fault, but mine. ^^; I pushed the first few chapters of the story together and so the numbers are all messed up, but I didn't realize that the reviews you all already submitted don't change their chapters. So, if you've already reviewed on Chapter 21 before, you won't be able to review this chapter. Pity, because most of you come up with pretty good thoughts and inspirations.

You could always log out and put your username in the Anonymous space, but that's too much work for simply a review... it doesn't matter, you don't have to. You'll be able to review normally after Chapter 25 I think :)

That's enough out of me! Thanks for reading, and I hope to get to the next chapter soon :D

~Vixen


	22. Worsen

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's plots, ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 22

His eyes opened slowly, as if they hadn't in so long, and he looked at his surroundings as if he were in a strange place he didn't recognize. His arm was gone, but it wasn't a feeling he was unaccustomed to. His unclean hair irritated his neck, and he reached up with his left hand to swipe the locks off. Just moving ached his body, and he groaned. Despite the pain, he pushed himself up into seated position.

"Brother...! You shouldn't be moving yet!"

Edward had closed his eyes to compensate for the pain, but he snapped one open to see Alphonse beyond the foot of his bed, sitting on the floor and his head turned toward him.

"Al," he said, and his voice was hoarse from lack of use. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm a lot better off than you."

"Are we back at Teacher's? The meat shop?"

"Yeah. You were out cold when we found you, so we took you back."

"What about Korius? The people?"

"We left them behind, and Teacher told me not to say a word of it. She talked to the heads of the families, and decided to keep their secret. They were all good people, and she didn't want their peace to be disrupted by our... business."

"And what happened to—?" Edward couldn't even speak it. The emotions he felt were incomprehensible.

"She's gone," Alphonse answered solemnly. He turned his head forward. "Not a trace of her. I don't know where she went."

Edward's eyes lowered to his bed-sheets, and his hand curled into a fist, the covers folding under his grasp. His arm started to shake with the confusion he felt. Urami, or Malice, whoever the hell she called herself...

"Do you still love her, Ed?"

His face tilted down, his bangs hanging down sort of like a curtain. His eyes strained themselves as he glared at his knees. "She tried to kill you, Al."

"Do you still love her?" Alphonse asked again, more firmly. Edward could only shut his eyes tight and shake his head violently. It was rather a gesture of frustration than an answer.

"No, I... I don't know...I..."

"It's okay, Brother," the younger one said. He crossed his arms and the orbs of his eyes dimmed. "...I don't believe that she was herself."

"Of course she was!" Edward croaked, and he felt the tears sting his eyes. "She told me Urami was just a figment of the imagination, that it was something she tried to pretend to be to get to me. How the hell am I suppose to fight against that?! I'm not a psychiatrist; I don't know anything of what happens in the mind, let alone a homunculus'... I was being so stupid...

His hand went up to his face, to further shield it from being seen. His clenched teeth remained visible. "I felt something for Urami that I never felt before, something about her I felt I couldn't live without. And where did it lead me? I was following a single emotion, and I wasn't thinking at all rationally. I didn't think. And she... she..."

Edward fought silently to regain his composure again. He calmed himself down, and the tears dried. He wouldn't cry in front of his brother here, not now. He swallowed the saliva that built in his mouth, and breathed deeply.

"Love isn't rational."

The Fullmetal Alchemist removed his hand from his eyes, and looked at his brother. He was as immobile as a suit of armour lead to think. His head lifted up then and the light returned to his eyes.

"Winry'll be coming soon. Your arm needs some fixing up."

Edward closed his eyes and collapsed back down onto his back, and he stared at the ceiling. Winry was going to freak when she saw him, but her wrath didn't seem at all that intimidating anymore. He's faced much worse. And besides; he wouldn't let her see how badly torn his heart was.

And to answer Alphonse's question.

Yes, he did love her.

He just didn't know _why_.

* * *

Malice rose from her slumber, and looked around. She had to remember that this was the bed she just suddenly climbed into after her delightful 'date'. The sleep urged her to the comforts of the mattress, and that was the last thing she remembered.

She turned on her side, curling her arm under her pillow and constricting it comfortably, but then was reminded. She took that arm out and noted the dried blood caking her skin. The reek of it rotting made her lip curl, and she looked up, investigating. Well, there was another room conjoining with this room, and she got up to her feet. The region around her hips and inner thighs ached; she kept her jeans on to bed. She found the room to be a bathroom —and a sorry-looking one at that— and decided to wash herself off. She stripped herself of her clothing, noted the red marks her clothing gifted her with, and ran the tap in the bath, which sputtered at first. After washing her hands and arms thoroughly of any scarlet, she slipped into the gathering water in the tub, the tap still running hot water.

As Malice proceeded to wash herself, I slipped through the door, frowning. My sin's attention whipped to me, and she hissed acidly, "Get out of here."

_That's my body you're washing,_ I sniffed.

"I'm surprised you're still under that delusion." Malice turned her back on me and used the sponge to remove dirt from her front. She side-glanced and saw a container of shaving cream and a razor, and she reached over for them. I bristled as she commenced spreading the lather on her legs.

_I'm not joking. It's just wrong. Feels **way** more than just violating my privacy._

"Piss off. How is your insecurities my fault? You're the one that walked in here. Besides, isn't it like a mirror, where you used to wash _yourself_? Same thing."

My jaw tightened, and I shook my head murderously. The razor glided through the lather, leaving a smooth trail behind. Small sparks jumped randomly, which signified that the blades pricked some areas, proving Malice to be inexperienced with shaving. Seeing as I couldn't do anything more, I reached over spitefully and squeezed the Stone hard and briefly before I disappeared to see Cid and the children. The homunculus crumpled in the tub in pain.

Malice, gasping after that, watched the water she kicked out of the bathtub crawl across the floor to the drain in the middle of the washroom. She then looked at the leg she was shaving, and cursed as the lather she didn't get to drifted off easily.

"You need to get your issues checked, human side," she muttered darkly to herself, putting on a new layer of foam.

After she was done and she let the water drain, she realized she didn't bring with her any change of clothes. She didn't have any, considering the clothing she met Greed in were the only ones she truly possessed — any articles of hers left at the meat shop were as good as lost —, and she wasn't too keen on wearing anything similar to that shirt she just stripped herself of. She sighed as she wrapped herself in a towel and opened the door out.

"Good afternoon," Greed chirped.

He caught the metallic-skeletal fingers from piercing the middle of his chest with prepared ease. His other hand remained behind his back. He met Malice's scowl with a suave gaze. "Tried to hack at my Stone, did you?"

"Why are you stalking me?" She wretched her fingers from his grip and walked past him. Her arm changed back and she stroked the bridge of her nose, eyes closed. She didn't know that the intruder was Greed at first, but identity didn't matter. She dropped her hand and wandered to the drawers, searching around. "It's afternoon already?"

"Of course, sweetheart," he said smoothly. He seemed intent of using that more than her real name, she noted, but she didn't say anything. She heard the grin in his laugh.

"Makes me wonder whether you actually took some pounding last night or not."

"Oh, _please_," she snorted, finding nothing in the first drawer and so moving on to the second. Nothing. She slammed it shut. "I find the gore much more pleasing than the sex could ever be. Aren't there any damn clothes around here?"

He laughed again as she maneuvered around the room in her hunt for some articles of clothing. "Have you even had sex before?" As Malice ignored him in her search, he decided with a different question. "Why do you sleep?"

"I thought you said you didn't care if I told you nothing," she said bleakly without turning to him. Her hands slapped the wood of the bureau she searched lastly in annoyance. She continued, "I just do. I have the need to, apparently. I can stay awake, run, and fight without getting tired, but when I get stationary, I want to sleep. Okay?"

Greed said nothing for a moment— seeming not completely satisfied— as Malice glared at the drawers, then she felt him move to one area behind her, then retreat. "Okay," she heard him say. He opened the door to the hallway and added, "Come out and join us. You know, it's rude to hide yourself all day from your friends."

Her back tensed indignantly and she turned around to shout at him, but he already left. Her shoulders stiffened, then released negative tension as she growled. She had no friends; she didn't need them. She cast her eyes to the side, but her path passed over something left on the bed, and she ventured over to it. In a neat pile, there was a new set of clothes that wasn't there before, and as she picked the shirt up, her towel fell to the ground gracelessly. She approved the normal, durable articles of clothing she received.

Not half-bad.

* * *

I plucked at the grass in front of me, which was fluttering to a breathless wind. All of this was rather a figment of what the children remembered of their time in life. Where they were, there was hardly any wind, having been raised in Korius all their lives. The walls stopped the wind with its full might and rather diminished it to a weak sigh. When they got out of Korius for their search of supplies, there was no wind for them to enjoy. The fact that there were no walls now reminded them of the time they ventured out of that place, into the outskirts of Dublith, the surrounding areas, and that represented the dreams they had.

"I just missed her again, huh?" I said dismally.

Cid was seated beside me, and Rosalyn had Cecilia on her lap across from me. The other children present played amongst themselves in the fields below after their affectionate greeting with me. I was reminded that, dead or not, they were still children. The only grown, solemn ones were the ones at here with me, under the large tree that rustled harmoniously despite the absence of wind. All solemn, save for Cecilia. Although, the infant did give me the idea of using Malice's 'heart' against her.

"She was here, a little while ago," Cid confessed, looking rueful. "When she sees us is not entirely up to her."

"There's an exact time a spirit can move around?"

"Sort of. There's a specific time period of when the Gate opens, just a little."

"Gate?" My eyes looked up from the blades of grass I grasped. "The Gate, with Truth behind it?"

"Yeah," Rosalyn said. "We saw it, just a glimpse of it, before we were trapped inside you."

"You probably saw Margaret there, too, if she's behind that Gate?" The two nodded, and my eyes lingered to watch over the children playing down at the foot of her hill. It was most likely that Edward saw his and Alphonse's mother on the other side. Or perhaps it was all an illusion. Who knew? I didn't know for sure either.

"When does she usually visit?"

"Well, it depends," Cid crossed his arms in contemplation. "Can't know for certain."

"Then maybe I should stay until she arrives," I sighed, ripping the blade of grass I had up. Both of their gazes snapped to me, I noted from my peripheral vision.

"But what about Malice?" Rosalyn said urgently. "What if she does something?"

Cecilia cooed, and she squirmed out of Rosalyn's lap. She crawled across the space between Rosalyn and myself, and she sat down, entertained by the piece of grass I flickered from side to side. She blew bubbles with her saliva. I smiled slightly.

"Really... whatever Malice does, it's beyond my control. She's got my body and I can't get it back."

"Don't think that!" Cid said angrily. I looked at him wearily. "You can't lose to her. You're the real owner. Come on! What about Edward? Are you just going to leave him hanging?"

He was smart, to bring _him_ up, and that irritated me. "What do you expect me to do?" I glowered. I gave the blade of grass to Cecilia, who held it up to the white sky and cooed some more, and I got to my feet. I paced out a little away from them, and crossed my arms. " 'Homunculus' or 'Father' or whoever he is sliced me away from controlling my body, and made Malice supreme. I can't do anything. I'm just a measly spirit that can't pass on."

"You sound like you've already died," Rosalyn sniffed indifferently. I looked back at her and saw her give me the toughest look she could muster. "We've already lost our chance of getting our lives back, and yet you're squandering yours as if you've lost by default! Think, Urami!"

"_Is that even my name, I ask you?!_" I hissed. Cecilia jumped at my tone, and she crawled to her brother warily. I shook my head violently. "All you're telling me is to get my body back. I ask you, how? For the time being, all I know is that I'm an artificial being derived from all of you, and Margaret. _Margaret _is who I want to get the answers from now. Maybe she'll tell me. Besides, I can't know and fight the enemy if I don't even know myself."

Rosalyn shared glances with Cid, and the both of them sighed. "We understand your frustration," he said. "Fine. But please, just check up on what your sin is doing, then come back."

Reluctantly, I agreed. I suppose just checking up on her wouldn't hurt...

* * *

Greed walked into the small bar he and the chimaeras had to themselves, pondering. He stroked his strong jaw, which transitioned to the cheek Malice tried to rip free. She had scratched his shield, which before then, had never been penetrated. It was the hardest form of carbon he could summon. Perhaps he was getting too old and losing his touch...? He was over two-hundred years old after all...

Greed slumped himself on the couch leisurely and cracked his neck. "Hey Roa, could you do me a favour?"

The cattle-infused man looked over from speaking with Dolcetto. "What would that be, Mr. Greed?"

"Get your mallet and hit me across the head as hard as you can. I promise I'll get you a new one."

Roa considered this favour, then nodded. As the big man stood up and reached for his weapon, Greed commenced in transforming into his shield-form, from his shoulders to the top of his head. His spiked hair disappeared under the plate that gave praise to his name, and his tusks protruded from sides of his lipless mouth. Roa swung his mallet across and hit Greed at the temple with all his might, and at once, the mallet shattered into a million pieces.

"Nope, I've still got it!" Greed crowed gleefully in his warped voice. He dismissed the shield immediately, and when he returned to normal he scratched his head, content.

"So this is what you do on your spare time, huh?" Malice asked apathetically. Greed twisted his head around to consider the new homunculus at the doorway, with a piece of the mallet caught in her hand centimetres from her face. She must have thought it was an intentional, offensive attack at first, since her hand was already morphed into her Ultimate Ore. Greed laughed.

"Ace reflexes! You're at the top of your game."

Malice crushed the mallet piece to even smaller pieces, and she fixed her shirt. Greed's eyes took her in and he smiled crookedly. "You're looking pretty sharp too."

She totally disregarded his comment and seated herself at one of the armchairs. Martel chuckled when she reached for a glass. "Where is it you want to go today?" Malice questioned.

"We're planning to go on a little recon of Dublith and the surrounding cities, to check that everything's up to date and stationary for the time being. Interested?"

"You don't need me for this kind of thing."

"Aw, come on, I think it'd be interesting." Malice looked over at Dolcetto, and he lifted a cup, smiling slightly. "You don't seem the type to slow us down."

"But reconnaissance? What do I do, sneak around and check off a list? Doesn't sound so productive. Plus, it seems like only one person is enough to do the job, but most of you are going anyway."

" 'Recon' is a lot more work than you might think," Martel said, winking at the young homunculus. "But if you think you don't have to do anything, just come! I wouldn't want to be cramped down here all day and just have the evenings to enjoy myself. What if someone wanders down here and finds out your secret when we're gone?"

Malice laughed softly, scratching the bridge of her nose. "That's like asking a lion if they didn't want a lamb wandering into their den."

Greed laughed at her dry humour. "That's true, but when one goes in at this time, others start to wonder and come in after the other. By the time you deal with all of them, this whole portion of Dublith would know something's wrong, and start sticking their nose in business that wasn't theirs. I thought you wanted to lie low for a while."

Malice's eyes looked up to the ceiling, and though she didn't want to, she had to agree with that. With the case last night, that man was on his own, just looking for a chick to pleasure him for the night. With typical drinkers that herded in groups... that would cause problems. If something went down, the homunculi might be alerted, or even _better_, Izumi and the Brothers. She sighed and tilted her head, then nodded.

"Okay. But there's one part of town I'd rather stick out of."

No one bothered to ask any questions. Greed clapped his hands triumphantly and he got to his feet. "We'll leave any minute so just get yourselves ready. Malice, since you're a new recruit, you'll pair up with Bido."

"Sure, sure," Malice swatted her hand, uninterested. She needed reminding who Bido was, but regardless she said nothing. They stood up after finishing up their individual activities, and the ones that couldn't walk in the day —because of their animalistic features — took the back way and dove into the shadows. Malice remembered something, and tapped Greed's shoulder roughly. He turned his head over to her.

"What about the blood in the back room?" she asked. He shrugged.

"We had it cleaned up, don't worry about it. Just don't make too much of a mess next time."

"I got excited, that's all," Malice mumbled spitefully, turning her back. She heard Greed chuckle, and soon they made their way out. Malice waited as they moved on, until Bido came to her side and looked up at her.

"Oh yeah, lizard man," she said whimsically. "Could you fill me in more on what we're supposed to do?"

"Well, I know where to go, so just follow me," he said with a smile. "We just check the areas to check for any threats."

"I see," I said, following him down the hall and up the steps. "But what possible threats could we have?"

"Soldiers from the military, and people who might be looking from us. They know that we've escaped from Laboratory 5, and they want us under their lock and key again. Specifically the people who locked Mr. Greed up."

The other homunculi. Malice rolled her eyes up to the ascending ceiling, pondering. "But wouldn't it make more sense to stay away from them? It's risky, because they might see you."

Bido laughed as he drew his hood over his head. "We're not so careless. And besides, they don't know who you are, so you're safe."

She knew that wasn't the case, but she was going to keep that part quiet. When they reached the top of the steps, the other chimaeras and Greed were already out of sight, and the public bar was next to empty. The bartender drew a blind eye to them passing through, and Bido went and opened the door for Malice. She hesitated, seeing the sunlight rain down on the steps outside, but she stepped through.

Once in the secluded alley, Bido pointed to set of escape ladders on the side of the building. Malice shrugged, entered the smaller alley containing them, and with one leap, she surpassed all of the ladders and landed at the edge of the roof. She smirked and looked back, but was startled that Bido was climbing the wall itself very quickly, like a lizard or spider. More like a lizard, figures. He sat next to her when he got up and stared at her expectantly.

"You're just showing off, aren't you?" she rose her brow. He laughed.

"I could ask you the same thing."

Malice couldn't help but chuckle back, her mouth tilting in a half-smile. He beckoned to her and went ahead, with the homunculus following.

After about a block, I came out to check on Malice. And please understand me that I had every right to be alarmed. Malice was jumping from building to building in broad daylight, when she was supposed to be indoors, hiding. Any person in Dublith could just happen to look up and see her, then word would spread like wildfire. Not to mention, when I came out of our mind I suffered a little form of whiplash. In an attempt to hold myself steadily onto my sin, I reached out and seized her Stone. Immediately her breath cut itself off, and without my intention, she tripped in the middle of her ascent, which caused her to fall into the alley below. She crashed down heavily on her face, and to a normal man it would have been instant death. Even Malice's face was crushed and bloodied before her regeneration kicked in. Luckily there were no people, let alone beggars, in this alley, and it was too far from the main road for any passer-by's to notice. I could tell by her twitching that she was inching to release all of hell's might on my eardrums, but instead she lay there, sort of dazed.

"What—might—you—have—done—that—_for?_" she asked me politely through clenched teeth. I sat down cross-legged and crossed my arms, showing her I meant business.

_Why are you out in the day? You're supposed to be inside, and you can do whatever you want in the night. We agreed on this. I originally agreed that you can do what you want after Edward and Alphonse are safe but—_

"They forced me into recon," she said. I don't know why she remained on the ground as she was, since it looked mightily uncomfortable, but she remained so. "Besides, I saw no problem in it."

"Ms. Malice?"

I looked up to see the lizard man, Bido, peeking over the edge of the building, a look of surprise and bewilderment on his face. "What are you doing down there?"

Malice groaned, disgraced. "I sorta... tripped."

Bido commenced climbing down the wall, in a way that I could only watch and feel queer, imagining how it'd feel if I climbed head-to-the-ground like that. _I'll leave you alone for a while,_ I informed her. _Don't do anything stupid._

"Tch," I heard her mumble as I disappeared. She was appalled at the nerve I had, simply appearing, making her fall down the scale of a building, have her crush her face upon the stone, simply to tell her of her absence. For what, Malice didn't know, and she didn't care. Bido arrived down at her side and looked at her crumpled body in question.

"You clumsy?"

Before she could retort with anything smart, she heard her stomach growl. She remembered that she didn't eat anything when she woke up. This was a very improbable thing for a homunculus to experience, but hey, she sleeps, too. Me remaining connected with her might have something to do with it... Bido blinked.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"Depends, do you have any Red Stones on you?"

"Red Stones?"

"Nevermind..."

"Lemme help you up."

Bido took a hold of Malice's upper arm, but she immediately shrugged him off and got to her feet herself. She noticed the expression on his face while she brushed herself off, and she sighed. "Don't sweat it. I don't like getting help from anyone, that's all."

He seemed somewhat relieved, and he smiled. "Okay. Well, maybe going up there isn't a good idea for you. We'll just walk from here."

Malice was about to interject, but blaming it on me would make her look crazy, so she stayed silent. She followed his hooded form, mentally pointing out which direction the meatshop was. So far, it was behind her, so she nodded to herself.

I had announced that I would be gone for a while, unable to control her. If she wanted to, she could have gone straight for the meatshop and killed Edward, and I would never know until I found out, one way or another. I had no idea why she chose to keep her promise.

She kept to the wall where the shadows played, and it kept her unnoticeable. Bido did so too, beside her, but his presence was a rather ignored one. When people saw poor people, they avoided them, and pretended that their eyes didn't wander over. Bido, in his ragged clothing and shoeless feet, looked just that, and people walked a different path. It never crossed their minds that Malice, who looked moderately normal, was associated with him. They passed by the market, where many fruits sat in their families and groups, looking delectable in the sunlight.

The apples especially. Malice was reminded of when I ate apples for the first time. First, with Alphonse in the small medical wing, then the second in that apple pie Winry brought along on the train. Her eyes strayed on them for a second as she passed, but she continued on, breathing deeply. The vendor was talking to her neighbour, laughing.

After a few metres from there, Bido tapped Malice's shoulder. She looked over at him, then stared at the apple he held up in his hand, offering up. She reached over, considered it, then looked at Bido again, who had that friendly smile on again.

"For your hunger," he said, gesturing. She frowned.

"I didn't see you steal this. Your hands were in plain sight..."

"It helps having more than two hands," he laughed, and she saw his tail briefly by his legs. She half-smiled, regarding the red fruit in her hand. He nodded and he started walking again. She followed, out of thought. Stealing was no sin to her, so she bit into the juicy fruit without remorse.

* * *

By the time evening fell, Malice and Bido had already gone far out of Dublith, past the covered Korius, and to a close village she didn't care to remember. Now they were on their way back to the Devil's Nest. If anything, Malice just felt like a tag-along, with not much contribution to call hers. But she liked Bido. He wasn't as annoying as she expected him to be, and she wouldn't mind being teamed up with him in the future... if she stuck around for that long.

They passed by the trainstation in the outskirt, but Malice stopped. Another train had dropped in, and the passengers jumped off with their baggages and family members. One stood out in the crowd, alone, with her blonde ponytail. Her multiple earrings glinted in the failing sun. Malice stood rooted where she stopped, watching the girl. Bido, who had walked a little more, looked back at her and gave her a questioning look. Malice only responded by taking multiple steps back into the trees.

"Miss Malice?"

"Go on without me. I'll be there soon."

"But—"

"I'm fine. I'll come back later."

Bido stared at her, not completely sure on what to do, but then he sighed, and he continued on without her. She went the opposite way on the outskirts, watching the girl as she stared down at a piece of paper, most likely an address. The bag she carried looked too heavy for someone like her to carry, so it was on wheels. Malice could only guess that it was filled with tools and spare parts. She watched her as she hopped down the steps, then carefully lugging her bag down, and continuing on. Malice planned to follow.

She was somewhat disobeying my word, about staying away from the meatshop, but I had already willed her there before anyway, after I asked her, so she considered the bargain invalid. She lurked after Winry like an appropriate stalker, but with intentions that didn't fit one. The girl held the paper posed up, and her eyes looked among the buildings. If Malice remembered correctly, the meatshop didn't actually have the address in full view. As she thought, when they came to the area, Winry walked right past it without any thought that might be where Edward was. Malice's lips pursed.

She picked some pebbles up, and consecutively, she hurled one at the door of the meatshop, and the other at Winry's head, lightly. The girl flinched and yelped, reaching up to rub at the spot, and she turned on the spot, looking for the culprit. Malice was out of sight, but still watching. Winry found the pebble on the ground and picked it up to inspect it. The door of the meatshop opened and Izumi stepped out, looking for the customer that caused the noise on the wood. Perhaps they thought the shop was closed, and they knocked hesitantly... she saw Winry, unrecognizable to her.

"How may I help you?"

"Oh," Winry said, sheepish. "Well, I'm a little lost, and I was wondering if you knew where this was..."

The girl showed the older woman the slip of paper, and Izumi smiled. "This is the place," she said. "You must be Winry. Edward and Alphonse are inside."

Winry nodded, but she blinked. "Isn't Urami with them?"

Izumi's eyes softened, and the smile washed away. She escorted the bewildered Winry inside and closed the door.

Malice frowned at the ground as she fell back into the shadows. Confused at what she just did, she walked around the town as darkness fell.

* * *

"I swear to you, she is a _jewel_," Greed grinned to the man beside him at the counter. The man's eyes sparkled with interest, and the touch of alcohol stunk up his breath. The blush lingered on the man's nose as he listened. "She knows exactly what to do. Of all the women I've had, she's my favourite. And her delicate small body is really worth the spin."

"You don't say," the man hummed. "Where is she? I'd like to meet her."

"Oh, she's out with some errands. She'll be back very soon—" At that moment, he saw Bido at the corner of his eye, and he turned to him, hand up in a commanding gesture. Bido approached him, alone. Greed's brows lifted slightly, and his glasses slid down a little on his nose as he considered the underling before him. "Where's our sweetheart?"

"She told me she'll come back soon," Bido said, a little unsure, and worried. "She's in the forest by the train-station."

"What could she be doing there?" The lizard chimaera shrugged his shoulders with innocent eyes, and the homunculus nodded. "Alright, Bido. You go and join the others."

Greed continued conversing with the man, biding his time; buy it, using it, and watching it fly by. Malice still hadn't returned. It was well into the evening by the time the man was consuming much more alcohol than was needed for him to get intoxicated. His body slumped against the counter and he continued to down himself with the drinks the bartender gave him. Greed switched his attention from him guzzling the alcohol to watching for the door. Malice still remained gone.

"I'm sorry to have it come this way, but I have to pick up your meal," Greed said to the man, and the drunkard waved his hand sleepily. By the time Greed would come back, the man would be gone, or passed out somewhere. It was Malice's fault, he decided. He was still keeping her word but she went off and did something like this.

He walked down the street-lit roads, growing more scarce with everyday people and more with night-lurkers and rough-housers. There was no one at the train-station when he got there, so he crossed the tracks lazily and strolled to the forest. Once inside the first line of trees, he looked around.

"Hey, Malice? What are you doing? I've got a surprise for you back home."

He heard some leaves rustling, a twig snapping, but it wasn't ground-related. He looked up to the branches, and standing still, he saw some leaves flutter to the ground gracefully from a tree not too far away. Malice's voice hummed.

"That's not my home."

Greed walked over to the tree Malice sat in, and he grabbed one of the branches above his head and leaned forward. He looked up and saw Malice's face watching something, the moonlight reflecting on her profile. The rest of her body was enshrouded by the leaves and branches.

"Alright then," he said. "That doesn't change the fact I've got something prepared for you back there."

Malice's face tilted slightly in Greed's direction, but her eyes didn't linger from whatever she was looking at. All in all, she disregarded what Greed just said. He arched an eyebrow up.

"What's wrong with you?

"I don't know," came her simple response, still not fully responsive to him; meaning, she still hadn't met his eyes. It seemed like a one-sided conversation to him, and it made him sigh. He climbed up onto the branch he was leaning on, but he saw her stiffen, so he remained on that branch. He sat down with his back to the trunk and his legs straight, one folded over the other. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"You're more difficult than I first thought."

"I don't mean to be."

"And how does that work?"

She shifted up above him, sighing. She was acting very strangely, as if she had some sort of mental turmoil going on.

"You'd think, being Malice... everything would be straight forward. Everything was okay when I was with Bido, but afterward..." She paused.

"Go on," Greed coaxed. At least he was getting somewhere. Thing was, he wasn't simply looking for answers here. Something compelled him to converse with her.

"I just walked around town. I helped someone find their way. You'd think I'd kill them, but I didn't."

"So you're a softy. So what?"

"But then, as I entered the darkest part of town, I heard a woman screaming. I think she was getting mugged, or raped."

"And?"

"...well, the screams soothed me. That was in check; something unfortunate was happening to someone else, and I enjoyed it. I left her to the business of whoever was torturing her. That means I'm normal."

Greed chuckled at the inappropriate yet usable words she used. "Of course."

"So what does it all mean, I ask you? Am I good, or bad?"

"Well, what do you think?"

Malice didn't say anything afterward, her voice dying away in her throat. Greed smiled, and he pulled his shades off. It was night anyway, so there was no point of wearing them, especially to simply look cool. "If it makes you feel better," he continued, "I'm neither good nor bad."

"But how do you know?"

"Well, I know I'm not good because I don't care what happens to other people, so long as I get what I want. But I know I'm not completely bad either. If I was, I'd kill off all my underlings, and still be working with the homunculi. They want to devastate this country."

"You being Greed lead you to leaving them, they told me," she said. "Danté told me that they didn't completely satisfy you, so they locked you away."

"That's what they tell you to get you on their side," he told her cryptically. "I won't deny it, that was a reason. But I ask you, why am I still here, and not running back to them, to serve them? It's not because of pride, or dignity. Not at all."

She didn't say anything for a moment, and it seemed like the end of that conversation, although Greed's questions remained unanswered. Good or bad, Malice was Malice, however he looked at it. Silence sat between them sluggishly for a few long moments, then she asked a rather random question.

"Is the owner of that body still talking to you, Greed?"

"I was actually born with this one, from Father. You were transmuted?"

"Yes. So no human thoughts interfere with you?"

"Depends how you define human." Greed looked up at her, and she had her eyes closed. He knew not to ask any more questions, because at how things we looking, she didn't look like she had any intention of answering them.

Looks were deceiving as she took a deep breath. "...I have a sort of... problem."

"What kind?" he asked, surprised. She hesitated.

"The souls of the people I was transmuted from, they still exist, and _talk_. Then, I used to have a human side, and when I took over completely... she survived. Her thoughts still infect me like a disease. I...I don't know what to do. _She's _the reason I can't decide which side I rest on."

This was unheard of to Greed. So she really did have a split personality, or something. It bothered him slightly to see her so confused with herself. However way she was transmuted, she suffered a different price. Her existence seemed far more advanced than the rest of them, but the stronghold that controlled her body was corroding from the inside.

"That _is _quite a problem, I admit. I don't have an answer."

Malice grunted softly, leaning her head back on the bark. "And I thought you would."

"Why did you tell me this?"

Her eyes opened and started to shift fast at the night-forest scene in front of her, as if she couldn't organize her thoughts at all. "I'm getting desperate. Maybe Father knows, but he's the one who screwed things up. If anything, I should kick his ass, but..."

"Are you—?"

"I'm not a coward!" she barked. Greed made a face, taken aback by how fast Malice jumped the bullet. Her teeth were bared, but not at him. She was frustrated with herself, and her eyes glazed over in frustration. "I'm not..."

"...fear and cowardice are two different things," he sighed. He watched her for any type of reaction. Her lips eased up a little, and her eyes shifted slightly in her peripheral vision, considering him. It still wasn't exactly eye contact, but it was getting closer. Greed wasn't used to counselling, and if it was anyone else, he'd wonder what was wrong with him. But Malice needed it, and he didn't feel it strange of himself to talk to her like this.

"It's okay to be scared. People who are fearless are fools, not brave. To be a coward means to lack bravery. Bravery means to face something you fear and meet it head-on. Are you running away, Malice?"

Her face finally turned to him, below her. It was vacant of any expression he recognized as Malice-oriented, and he watched her, bewildered. He saw that she was looking at him warily, as if she thought he'd hurt her. The human in her was appalling, and he started to believe more and more that a human side —me— existed in her. Needless to say, he could not back down from her. The glaze over her cold eyes made them glow like amethysts in the pale light, melancholy.

"I guess I have been running away," she said softly, keeping eye contact with him. The eyes, too, softened. "I sent the homunculi to the south on a wild goose-chase. When they come back up to Dublith, I was planning to run again. But now... maybe I'll fight them again when that time comes."

"That's the spirit," Greed grinned. Her eyes lingered down to his teeth, looking like they were floating in darkness, being the only thing the light reflected off of. "Are you scared of the idea?"

"A little."

"And you're going to go on with it anyway? Show 'em who's boss?"

She nodded. His grin grew wider.

"Then you aren't a coward anymore now are you?"

The most delicate laugh possible escaped from Malice's lips.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_ WHYYYY.

WHY did I keep this away from you guys? XDDDD

In all honesty, this chapter gave me a little trouble... it's like the in-between. I've got an important plot-moment down, then I have another one planned, but before I get there I need some filler. GOODNESS it's tough to decide what happens when it comes to it.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter regardless though. Not much Edward in it, I apologize. At least there was some part of him, although he was hurting ;.; As for Greed lovers, there's more of him here, hrr hrr hrr. -heart-.

Can you tell Malice and Bido are going to be good friends? I think it'd be cool to have a lizard man for a friend 8D

Anyway, again, I hoped you liked it, and forgive me for my absences... X'D Right now I'm currently writing pages for a manga in response to a month-long challenge. A little more to go! Love you!

~Vixen


	23. Revival

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's plots, ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 23

Greed sat on the couch, with two gorgeous, sassy women lounged beside him and his arms over their shoulders. They caressed his chest admiringly in his presence. They were ones for interesting talk, and their presence eased his greedy nature. Or often did. Today, he thought he desired it, but he was not satisfied. Instead, his mind always lingered to the one homunculus who locked herself up in the back room, where she killed his first gift of their negotiation. He had thought it his fault, after his and Malice's talk that night, but this hadn't happened until a few days later. She acted accordingly and as usual up to that moment, killing the men that he set up for her and joining recon. Now she refused contact, and he was getting...

"What's wrong, _sir_?" one of the women slurred informally, stroking a stray finger under her powerful jaw. "You're not paying attention to us at all, are you?"

Greed craned his neck and turned his head back, to cast a glance down the hallway leading to the back. He hadn't even registered what the woman said. Her friend's hands crawled up to his neck to taunt it back. After a few prods, he turned back to them and gazed at her, then the other. He realized then, that he couldn't describe either of them with some physical description that differed from the other. They both looked the same. They _together_ looked the same as any woman he had possessed at any point in his life. The same except one; one that seemed out of his grasp.

We always desire the most of what we can't get.

"Fine, if you find us that boring, we'll leave you alone," said the first who'd spoken, puffing out her cheeks to look disappointed. She and her friend slipped away from under his arms, and the avarice he felt didn't notice this loss. The women lingered, as if expecting him to object, to tell them to stay, but he didn't. They turned on their heels and left through the door. His underlings, most of whom were at the mini-bar, stared at him when they noticed what had happened.

"Mr. Greed?—" Bido asked, but Greed interrupted him without meaning to, as he was simply mumbling to himself.

"How long does she plan to keep this up?"

"Who?"

Greed got to his feet, a determined expression on his face. He rounded the couch and headed down the hallway before anyone could interject. Martel watched after him in surprise, most affected by this behaviour; out of all of the chimaeras, she knew Greed the most, of how he ticked. Seeing him on-edge started to make her think something was up. Her carefree leader agitated didn't mean anything natural.

The last door was out of sight of the others, so they didn't see Greed hesitate. He tried to prick up his hearing, but not a sound emitted out of the room, as if nothing and no one was in there at all. His fingers closed in on the doorknob, paused, then turned. Once the door opened wide enough, he peeked his head in. He found Malice on the ground cross-legged, her back to him, and her back erect, shoulders straight. She was very solid, unstirred. The ground was currently stained crimson; the last victim she was 'fed' experienced a nasty experiment, and it couldn't be washed out. Is looked like she was meditating in a field of scarlet.

Greed just watched her, regardless if nothing exciting was happening. He just wanted to see her, watch her. Malice didn't turn around, or even look like she noticed anyone come in. He ventured a step forward, then another; she was too deep in thought to be aware of him. Eventually, he got beside her, and managed to get a glimpse of her face. Eyes closed, face serene. She had her hands folded and held at her abdomen, so she had to be awake to hold it for so long. Her chin dipped down slightly, and her brows furrowed in concentration. There was an energy he felt around her, strange as it did sound.

He was tempted to snap in front of her face; maybe then he'd be graced with her eyes once more. But he didn't find it appropriate to interrupt her meditation so abruptly. Since her face was so exposed, he was compelled to touch it. Going down in a crouch, he reached over to her and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

At contact, without meaning for it, his Shield came into affect, slinking up to the middle of his forearm, and at the same time, Malice's skin changed. Like frost on glass, metal crept across her cheek. He pulled his hand away, and watched his armour revert back to flesh. The metal of Malice's Ore darkened and crumbled away once his touch retreated, and her cheek was also flesh once more. For whatever reason, Malice was tapping in tune with something and it interfered with Greed. Her eyes opened, dull upon opening but sharpening gradually.

At last she noticed him crouching beside her, and her hands dropped into her lap. "When did you get in here?" she asked.

"Not long ago," he said. He was forming how to ask what she just did, but he took too long. She looked around the room slowly, then shrugged it all off.

"Where's the next one?"

"What next one?"

"My next victim," she sniffed indifferently. Greed shook his head in disbelief. She watched him with a severe look. "You promised, Greed."

"I know I did," he said impatiently, getting to his feet. "But you're just... ugh. I thought I had you figured out."

Her dry humour slurred out as she, too, got to her feet; "What was the result of your first analyses, professor?"

"You started off as some homunculus who's ideal purpose in life was to lead people to misfortune and death. Then you had me thinking you had some human side, and voices in your head, and that meant either you were mental or just soft. Now you're just hanging out, all by your lonesome. And _now_ you want me to get you another toy?"

"Pretty much," she said cooly, tilting her head. His muscles twitched, and he reached over to her, hand on her shoulder. He half-expected her to try and slice him up like the last time he touched her like this. She didn't, but rather kept staring up at him in the eyes.

"You're acting more cryptic than I'd like," he whispered gruffly, even as the two of them were the only ones there. Her eyelids slide down halfway as he talked. "I told you I didn't care if you didn't tell me anything, but I didn't expect that you'd just sit here and do something I don't understand. What are you trying to do in here?"

"I don't think that's it."

"What?"

"I don't think that's why you're asking," she said. Her chin rose up and she considered him under her gaze. "You want to know everything about me to keep me under your leash. Am I right?"

Greed looked at her, not knowing what to say. That was why, wasn't it? His greedy nature wanted her for himself. She was just a potential possession... with no emotion oriented with it. Simply saying yes seemed inappropriate, so he just kept up with looking at her expressionlessly. Malice stared for a good while, then shrugged.

"If you have to know, I'm trying to organize myself, about my Ore."

"That's it, keeping you in here for days and nights?" Greed said incredulously. "It's been a little over a week since you got here."

"It's a very difficult thing to figure out, I guess. I don't really know everything about what I can do just yet..." she paused for a second. "What are things you can do, Greed?"

"What, other than what you can do?"

Malice nodded. His hand dropped down from her shoulder and swung slightly at his side. Then he stepped back, and he slipped his vest off. Malice watched him in puzzlement, wondering what he was doing.

"I'm a professional stripper, rest assured," Greed joked, grinning at her expression, and it caused her to blush a little. He held his vest out, and he then started converting into the Ultimate Shield. "I get a little ugly here, but this is the extent of my capabilities, concerning my Shield."

She had seen the Shield cover his arms before, but never did she see it stretch over his chest, then cover his head. In the end of the transformation, Greed was unrecognizable to her. Head to toe in the Shield, he was frightening, and contained little facial features belonging to a human. His build remained the same, if not more majestic. His teeth showed, as he had no lips, and the small tusks at the corners of his mouth looked menacing pointing heavenward. The scleras of his eyes were black, and this caused the violet of his irises to blaze more dominantly.

He laughed at her expression, and he lifted his arms up in an inviting gesture. His voice now had a warped deepness to it. "Well, this is it. Satisfied?"

She blinked, still taking him in. She stepped forward and approached him, and he stood still. She circled him, analyzing him, and eventually got in front of him once more. He watched her pensive face with a tilted head. He wanted to know what she was thinking. She reached up a hand and, though hesitant at first, touched his throat. He was surprised to see a smile brighten her features.

"You're so cold," she said, pressing her whole palm against him. She then slid it down to his collarbone, fingers following the change of form under her touch. "Just like metal."

The tips of Malice's fingers started to change, and once her hand was totally transfigured, she tapped her fingers against his collarbone, to which her metal started to ring in response, a low hum. Her smile faltered, and her hand lost its excited vigor. Greed's warped voice interrupted her thoughts.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?"

She shook her head as if to get rid of the mystery about the Ore that plagued her. Although she didn't want to admit it, she envied Greed. He looked indestructible in this form, and safe. She wanted to feel the same. She remembered that when fighting Edward, she had Ore protecting her torso. She was unable to do so anymore for some reason; she could only blame it on me and my presence, effecting her emotionally and destroying her from the inside. Being weak frustrated her to no end, humiliated her. It humiliated her even more that Greed had caught her in this weakness. She couldn't afford to lose her powers. She didn't doubt that I would be able to regain my body. She needed to find a way out of this.

He reached up to grasp her hand, not one of concern but for the sole purpose of grabbing it. She noticed that her right hand was held in his left; both of their hands showed their Ouroboros proudly. She found the thought funny, but the fact that he was holding her hand was against her nature.

"Don't bother getting me a victim tonight," she said, slipping her hand out of his. She passed by him to the door. "I'll get one myself."

Greed said nothing to stop her. She heard his flesh change back to flesh, and he sighed simply. Before she opened the door to step out, she called him. She felt him turn around, and her chin dipped, darkening her face.

"That night in the woods, you found me in a moment of weakness. I promise you that won't happen again."

There was a silence between them. Breaking it, Greed chuckled, and she heard him say, "Of course."

* * *

Winry had worked laboriously on Edward's new arm, the most damaged she had ever encountered. Whatever it was that the brothers had done, it must have been tough. When she arrived at the meat shop, they couldn't quite say anything to her at first about what happened. She scolded Edward for all the wounds he had, but was concerned that he didn't respond in the usual brattish way. She had started inspecting Edward's arm at the time and upon asking her question did things get more awkward.

_Where is Urami?_

Those words often echoed in Edward's head, even days after it was asked. His wounds were healing much more quickly than expected, and his physical strength was returning. Other strengths needed more revival. He appreciated Winry coming over from Rush Valley, but he just couldn't speak. The question she asked not only reminded him of what happened, but also tormented him on its literal context. Where was she, indeed?

Now, he had his arm painfully connected again, fixed in its new sheen. He was lying on his front with the arm outstretched on the bedside cupboard so that Winry could add the last finishing touches. Izumi filled her in earlier on what happened at last, so now she worked in silence with more reasons than one. Al sat where he usually sat, at the foot of the bed against the wall. He wasn't one to talk here, neither.

Upon finishing, she stood up. "All done. Rest up before using it, okay?"

He didn't respond at first. She stared at him as he pushed himself up and twisted onto his back. She turned away and went to the door.

"Winry."

She stopped, and turned to him, but he wasn't quite looking at her. His eyes were cast down, until he raised them apologetically.

"Thanks. I'm really grateful you came here from Rush Valley to fix me up. I really am."

Winry smiled a small smile, and she turned slightly away. "No problem."

She eventually left and closed the door, and Edward dropped his gaze down again, to both hands. Now, his automail was a ghost of the weapons that pierced him, body and soul. He leaned his head back against the pillow, closing his eyes and sighing.

"Where do you think she is now?" Al asked softly. Edward took his time.

"Who knows. She's running from the homunculi so she could be anywhere."

"How do you know?"

"Did you see Envy when you found me?" Alphonse said nothing, meaning no. Edward continued. "Right before I passed out, he told me Malice was going to get what's coming to her. That means they intend on killing her."

"Are we going to go after them?"

Edward's fist clutched the covers. "No. I don't see the point."

Alphonse looked like he wanted to cast a glance at his brother, maybe a reproachful one, but he decided it would make little difference. He emitted a sigh, and he didn't say anything more. Edward stared at the ceiling, and circulated his automail shoulder once he felt it aching.

"I can't lie down all day. I have to at least move," he said aloud, sitting up. His brother didn't say anything against it, most likely empathizing his brother's position. Lying down on a bed day in and day out would drive someone insane. Edward swung his legs over the edge of the bed and got to his feet. The flooring was slightly cold, but not by too much. He ventured over to his clean clothing, washed and set not too many days before. He acknowledged their presence at the time without any thoughts.

But he felt a sudden lurch in his chest. Panic, dread. He checked the pockets of his pants hastily, and his brother watched him check and check and double-check.

"What's wrong, Brother?"

"No," the Fullmetal Alchemist whispered, denying himself. As if checking again would restore what was there before. "No..."

"What's wrong?"

"The pieces! Where are the pieces?!"

Before Alphonse could get to his feet properly, Edward sped out of the room, much too fast. He crashed to the ground with dizziness, for his actions were too fast for his slow-accustomed body to handle at that moment, but he got up again. He flew down the stairs, and it was a miracle he didn't fall this time. He entered the kitchen, and normally it was shameful to burst into the room in simple underclothes but his mind focussed on one thing. Winry and Izumi looked at him in surprise.

"You washed my clothes, Teacher," he verified quickly. In the midst of her nodding he asked urgently, "What did you do with the stuff in my pocket?"

"Stuff?" Izumi asked with her brows raised. Edward nodded desperately. "I didn't do anything."

"I had pieces of something _important _in my pocket. I had them in our scandal in Korius. They _had_ to be in my pocket when you washed them!"

"Edward—" Winry tried to calm him down, but he couldn't think.

"Don't tell me you threw them out."

Izumi considered her former apprentice's anguished look, asking her to tell him the pieces were just within reach. That was not the case. She shook her head. "What I found in your pocket was ground-up ash, it looked like. I didn't know what it was. It's gone."

Edward was accustomed to having truth slap him across the face. He's had Truth itself take his right arm and left leg, for pete's sake. His eyes fell to the ground and his response was refrained. If he thought about it anymore where he stood, he would act in such a way he wouldn't be able to look any of them in the eye. So, quickly, he turned on his heel and returned back upstairs. Winry tried to call for him again, but he just couldn't bear to face her. Upon reaching the top step, he saw Alphonse standing in the doorway of their room. Edward walked right past him, looking for some other form of solitude. He took the opportunity to go up onto the veranda-type roof of the meat shop.

The breeze _would_ feel nice on his skin. The azure, clear sky _would _make him grateful of the beauty of the world. The activity of the street _would_ give him energy in turn. Not today.

Ground-up ash? Had the energy he put into the talisman left it in Korius, and made it collapse upon itself? Or had the fight crushed them as he fought and was tossed around? But asking why didn't get him anywhere. He had thought he would manage without her, but he couldn't grasp nor accept that she didn't exist, and he wanted her existence to be in his arms. If he couldn't have her, the pieces would be his memory, but now that they were gone, what was he supposed to grab onto?

"Urami," he whispered as he leaned on the railing. He raised his eyes heavenward, just searching. He said her name just to hear it.

* * *

Again, much like any other day, Malice walked down the streets of Dublith while it was getting dark. The mornings she either slept or, like in the last couple of days, meditated. She was glad I was gone for a while, but she was aware that I've seen her as she meditated, as her true form lingered in our mind. The white space would be stained with ink in the distance, where her body sat rooted in concentration. Malice didn't think that I cared too much about why she was there, so motionless. She didn't think I was suspicious that she was searching for a way to grow more powerful and eliminate my dictatorship on her; in other words, my ability to crush the stone. However way she thought to accomplish this, I didn't know...

The feel of Greed's cold hand on hers still accompanied her down the darkened streets. Granted, her hand was already cold then, morphed into metal. His seemed different though.

A familiar itch crept up her spine as she looked at the people she passed. They laughed, they drank, they talked loudly. These she could see as the sort of people the good wouldn't be able to miss. She didn't like that. What was the point of killing one and having no chain reaction? Their screams satisfied her to an extent, but nothing could compare to the grief and despair of another. Therefore she lurked further out of the sombre road and into the more safer regions of the city.

People were going home. Malice needed to work fast if she wanted something delectable tonight. She watched as the vendors of stalls packed up their products and merchandise, until she fixed on one stall in particular. There was a couple. A woman, delicate in her summer's dress and a bandana in her hair, kissed a man with thin-rimmed glasses on the lips gently. The man rested his arm around her back as they kissed, and when they disconnected he smiled at her adoringly. They exchanged some words, and the woman left for home, casting a look of reluctance back at him. He urged her home.

So. Husband and wife were temporarily separated. Malice wanted to omit the word _temporarily. _

He was the vendor of a flowershop, so he commenced moving the flowers back inside. His was a more work-filled job, because by the end of his chore, every other person had left for home. Once having put all the flowers back, watered and fed, he left the window slightly open for them and left the shop, locking the door. Malice was very patient, but she knew this was going to pay off in the end. He started walking home.

A little into his route, he heard my voice. _My_ voice. I wasn't the one speaking, but it was mine.

"Please help me, someone, please... Help me..."

The man stood erect, looking around himself, mouth slightly open. Malice continued with her pied piper flute, throwing in sobs for good measure; "Help me... H-Help me..."

He turned to the alleyway that was situated a little in front of him. He went up to the opening and heard the echoes bounce off in that passage. He called inside, and Malice continued to whimper. Distracted entirely, the man went inside, desperately looking.

Nobody heard him thereafter.

* * *

The vegetation was still as vivid as it usually was. I was under the large tree with Cid and Rosalyn again. Waiting very patiently.

For days, I was finally rewarded for my patience.

Suddenly in the distance, I saw a large, dark mass rise from the grass, and it towered. The children froze and watched it emerge, then they whooped in unison. I puzzled at their behaviour, for at the time I knew not that this was the Gate. They burst into a run toward the gigantic door. Cid and Rosalyn stood up together in unison and turned to me, smiling.

"It's Margaret!"

It felt like I was waiting so long, that I'd forgotten what I was waiting for. The thought of her desired arrival finally happening had me speechless. They smiled at me widely and grabbed my arms, pulling me up then down the hill, following the children. Cecilia squealed at the front of the crowd in the arms of another child. In this part of my and Malice's mind, the Gate didn't take as long to get to as it lead to look like. Not too long were we standing in front of a levitating, stone double-door, with strange markings I couldn't understand. I couldn't tell if we were facing the front of it, or not. We could only tell when it opened.

I had expected to see something when it did. It opened inward, away from us, and nothing was inside. But I saw feet descend under the door, looking as if they were walking on their own. I then realized that the door opened outward, and so we were not facing it properly. I wasn't keen to run around and see the inside of the Gate however. I was too enthralled by the feet, that now pivoted on their heels and drew closer to the edge of the door.

We came face to face with a person like me, but different.

The children cried out in glee, and she smiled at everyone that went up to greet her. They reached for her chestnut braid to feel the softness, and her moss-green eyes eased into crescent-moons serenely. My breath caught in my throat. She looked sickly thin, malnourished, but not miserable. Why, she looked so angelic, although clothed in all the dirt still clinging to her from her life. Nothing troubling touched her features as the children jumped at her, laughing. She laughed too, very softly.

"I missed you," she said delicately. She saw Cecilia squirm out of the arms of the child who held her, and she crawled to the arrival. Margaret leaned down and picked the baby up. She hoisted her onto her hip and blew a gust a breath into Cecilia's face. The infant's hair was aflutter and she laughed. Margaret's eyes finally rested on me, and we didn't break eye contact. She smiled at me and walked to me slowly. Once reaching me, she took me in.

"Urami," she said, as if just to throw it out there. I nodded my head, feeling suddenly modest. She reached out to me, falling short of touching me, so I stepped forward. She analyzed me with a tilted head, still smiling.

"I don't know what to say," she said slowly. Her head switched to the other side. "All I can express is how glad I am you exist."

Her answer shocked me. _My existence is the result of their deaths, a reminder that all of them were killed in my creation. Margaret is glad about this? _She read my thoughts and confusion, as it wasn't difficult to do so here.

"You are a kind, human soul, Urami," she whispered. I was about to interject but she squeezed my shoulder. "Whatever happened, your soul remained whole. Knowing that you were created was a relief. It was your sin that was given life, given the strength to overrule you in your weakness. It's going to be the same deal to do it back."

"Malice, and weakness?" I asked. "Malice can't be weak. She's too powerful and ambitious. I'd never be able to take my body back."

"Those mostly regard with her physical body and will. Have you noticed anything about her emotion-wise?"

This had me thinking. Well, she was obligated to love Edward with me. She was obligated to feel _everything_ I did. _She's__ confused, disoriented. _Margaret nodded at me in approval.

"She's experiencing emotions on her own, and she's not sure how to deal with them. She's growing weaker."

Of all the emotions I should have felt right then — such as hope —, I felt empathetic. It was an uncomfortable form; I was feeling like I was at the same level as my sin, that she was just repeating history. I understood, that emotions controlled you and turned on you, especially if you were a being that wasn't supposed to feel half of them. I was afraid that, with this empathy I felt, I wouldn't have the heart to steal back my body. I mean, what would happen to her afterwards?

"Is she weak enough?" I managed to ask instead. Margaret shook her head.

"No. She's been trying to build up her defenses, regain back the power she lost, but she is failing. She won't be able to defend herself once you confront the time."

"What should I do in the meantime?"

"You should keep doing what you've done all along. Her weakness grows because you still exist. Your emotions and human thoughts corrode her like metal rusting in the rain. Eventually, she won't be able to grasp onto the Stone anymore."

I nodded, but empathy rising. Margaret watched me closely, and I feared that my feeling touched each of their hearts and clued as to how I was taking this. It had, for she smiled ruefully.

"Malice isn't human to be taken so humanely, Urami."

"Animals aren't human either, but some people care for them humanely," I replied solemnly. I shook my head, gaze falling to the ground. "I've just grown so used to her, I can't imagine having her die."

Margaret closed her eyes and sighed. She was about to say something, but all of a sudden, there was a change in the atmosphere. Everything tinted red, as if a sheet of red glass decided to block the white sky. A dark feeling entered them all; dark pleasure. They looked around frantically, and heard Malice's voice.

"_I've done it."_

A sickening feeling entered my gut, and I stared at Margaret in alarm. She nodded quickly, alarm on her face as well, and with this word I left the space that I, the children, and occasionally Malice, shared. Once I returned to the real world, I was surrounded in darkness, with the streetlight at the end of the alleyway. It was difficult to see what was in the alley, but I saw it regardless. My eyes widened in horror, and I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. This was too different from what Malice did for the last couple of nights. There was no drunkard laced in lust. It was a typical man, torn in many dastardly and horrible ways, sliced up maliciously. His glasses lay shattered next to his face, frozen mid-scream in the sea of blood pooling around him. His scream was silenced before anyone could determine it a scream for help. Malice leaned against the wall, observing her work of art, covered in his blood like it was something cosmetic. She licked her lips, smirking proudly.

_Wh-What the hell, Malice!!_ I shouted. I looked from the body, to Malice, to the body again. _WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!_

"It's a body," she purred. "I know, right? I did a pretty good job. You can hardly recognize it's human anymore."

_Why did you do this?! Who was he?!_

"He was a simple flowershop owner. He had a wife. She's now a _widow_."

My being trembled with fury as Malice chuckled to herself. The rage kept rising, and my vision turned a hazy red. Her laughing pissed me off so much! I dived toward her, and she cried out in pain when I seized the Stone. I wanted to rip it out of her chest! If only I could! All I could do was choke her, but I was going to continue choking her, constrict my hands around her core tighter and tighter. I didn't care if it got the both of us killed. What she did was unforgivable. My hands did this without my consent! As if killing hopeless lust-drunk men wasn't immoral enough!

For some reason, she only watched me as I held on to her with a death-grip. Her first cry of pain lingered as simple gasping now. She tried looking me in the eye, and I didn't know what she was trying to do. When she started laughing again I glared at her glazed, pointed teeth.

"Why should you care so much, human side?"

_You killed an innocent being!_ I cried. _You took his life away. So what if you're satisfied? What about his wife? Do you know how hard this is going to hit her?!_

"I know! And that's what makes it even more _great!_"

A surge of energy emitted from Malice, and I was pushed backwards. I hadn't let go of the Stone, but almost did. What was that? Malice continued to grin, relishing the thoughts that entered her mind. Was she getting stronger? Was something feeding her sin? Margaret told me she was getting weaker with emotions, but emotions laced with _malice_ let her gain her strength. I was afraid that even my hold on her 'heart' wasn't going to be enough anymore.

"I wonder how long she'll grieve for this misfortune. Were they expecting a baby? Oh! A fatherless child! If only that were true! How many bad things can happen from this? I hope everyone suffers—"

_Shut up! Why... why are you... shut up!_ I couldn't think anymore. I tried choking her again, but it wasn't working. She didn't even notice as she laughed.

"Oh, human side," she said in an almost endearing way, and it freaked the living hell out of me. "You're angry? I can feel it, but only so slightly. Isn't it awesome?! I'm actually _really_ happy!"

_Widow... a potential fatherless child... innocent life, lost..._

I couldn't control the sudden despair I felt. It flooded me, toiling inside me as if meaning to drown me. Malice felt my grief. She watched me with that demonic smile growing wider and wider.

"You're in _pain,_ human side?!"

I couldn't speak. The anguish consumed me, and I myself felt weak. Suddenly, I knew my mistake. Malice fed off of such thoughts of causing pain, death, and despair. I added to the load. No... I _created_ the entire load, it seemed like. Of all the people Malice wanted to hurt, it was me. My despair made her _howl_ with joy, and I was wishing someone was going to hear her, was going to leave their home to see what she's done. I hoped that the attention she got would bring the homunculi back.

The power she was graced with grew tenfold, and I was ripped away from her in its blast. I watched inside her; a casket of steel encircled her Stone in a protective shield. I tried to get back to it, but my touch bounced off, disregarding all laws of being. I couldn't use her Stone anymore. I tuned back to look at the exterior of Malice, and her arms starting morphing into her Ore. But it didn't stop there... it kept going. Over her torso. Spreading from her navel up and down. Her face was soon consumed, and her true form stood before me. Her slitted eyes were the only things defining her mouthless and noseless face. Her voice echoed from within like a suit of armour, like Alphonse.

"Finally; the full potential of the Ultimate Ore."

_Monster,_ I called her. Her mechanical fingers rattled across her new skin, blissful. _How dare you. I thought—_

"That I would turn out like you?" she returned. She stepped up toward my ghostly figure, and reached up. She touched my cheek with the tip of her dagger-like fingers, and beyond all logic, I felt it. I recoiled. "I've had enough. This was exactly how you started out. You were a born homunculus, flawless, but you caved in to the human influence. This is where you landed, and I don't like that. I'm going to _stay_ a powerful homunculus, no matter how much you despise it. You have no control."

_What are you going to do?!_

"I'm going to kill Edward. Him, and Alphonse, and Winry, and whomever I want! So what if you won't leave me? You don't have to be so useless anymore. You can be my ultimate source of power. I can just have you watch everyone you care for _die._ You can stay as long as you like...." she whispered in a voice laced with spite. "...keep dreaming that you'll get your body back."

I had nothing to say, and if I did, I wouldn't be able to say it. The facts hit me across the face. Everything I hoped for fell down the drain. I dropped to my knees hopelessly, and then my will slipped, my being disappearing from there, back to our mind. Or at least I thought it did. I didn't remember anything after that.

Malice's soul soared. She exited out of the alley once confirming no one was there, and in the light, she observed herself. She raised her hands that glinted in the streetlamps' light. She faced her reflection in the closed-shop windows. She ran her hands over the surface of her transformed body, laughing. The power consumed her in her bliss. The satisfaction she felt had no comparison to any other time in her life. She considered going after more people right now, to fulfill her hunger. She looked up at the dark sky, moonless.

"Malice?"

She stopped her waltz through the empty street when one person rendered it full. She turned on the spot to confront Greed, who eventually went out to look for her, expecting her to be in the forest again. What he saw instead had him staring like a fool. Malice turned to him and laughed darkly.

"Oi oi, when did _this_ happen?" Greed said, walking toward her. His nostrils flared at the stench of gore his strong sense picked up, and briefly cast his eyes to the alley he passed. He continued on toward her with a smile on his face. "Got more excited than usual, I see."

"What do you think?" Malice giddily asked. She poised her arms outward, and spun around 360 degrees, as if she were looking at a mirror. Her obvious pride in herself made Greed grin. He finally got up to her and started analyzing her the same way she did to him earlier. The violets in her eyes were literal sunbursts as she waited for his answer.

"Very impressive," he mused, stroking his jaw. He circled behind her, observing everything. "_Very_ impressive."

"And it's much thanks to you."

"How so?"

Malice turned around, and she dismissed the Ore from her body. It was no surprise to see such a huge grin on her face when her mask was gone. He had never seen her this happy before. "I think that you showing me your Shield allowed me to transform the Ore. After I got rid of what was holding me back, I gained my strength again!" She brought her hands up and knitted her fingers together, gazing at them delightfully. "I'm no weakling. I'm no coward. I'm not fearless but I'll meet whatever gets in my way head-on!"

"I like your thinking!" Greed laughed with her. He liked seeing her like this, however out of the blue it may have seemed; he was so used to her solemn attitude and occasional sadistic pleasure that now, genuinely happy... it was nice for a change. He smacked her on the shoulder good-heartedly and she grinned back. Not so much as a dire expression toward his forward approach. "You won't let anything get between you and what you want, is that right?"

"Hell yes that's right!" She jumped up and pumped her arm into the air, turning her back on him to march triumphantly... until she stopped. Her arm remained in the air for a second, then fell down to her side in a crescent. Her breathing was deep, compensating for the energy spent in her excitement. She remained in her good mood. "But I'm reminded that you still need Alphonse."

"Who?"

"The walking armour." Malice turned toward him, smirking a teeth-bearing smirk. "I'll help you get the secret to immortality. Just so long as you leave me with what I want."

Greed was astonished. He came up to Malice again and tapped her forehead. "Are you sure you didn't hit yourself off of anything while having your fun? I couldn't help but take your offer as an invited partnership."

She laughed and swatted his hand away. Either she went completely nuts or she was opening up to him; it contradicted her earlier behaviour completely. "I think it rather interesting working with you, Greed. No point in leaving you now. And I really want to kill them..." Her eyes flickered away from Greed's, thinking about it. 'Them' was a mysterious term to him, but he didn't ask. Her eyes returned and eased up to her smile. "But I can't leave you hanging."

"Oh?"

Malice didn't say anything more. She smiled more contently than ever. Such a change, from when he spoke with her in the woods. For better or for worse, it didn't bother him, but rather intrigued him. She stepped away from him and started strolling down the sidewalk, some trace of the blood lingering in some of her steps, leaving slight footprints. He watched her, scratching the back of his neck, smiling softly. He breathed something that she couldn't hear.

"You're acting more human every passing day."

_End of Chapter_

_

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_

_A/N_ Um, irony much? ;D (the ending, heh)

Well, there we have... what chapter? 23. Isn't that supposed to be an evil number? I don't remember. But Anyway! I hope you enjoyed it. I did. Trying to tie up loose ends and setting myself up for future chapters is rather satisfying. Also, it helps that I have the FMA2 soundtrack to help me type. Really, it sets me up for the mood; I feel like I'm actually writing for the anime or something 8D (but I'd never be that good X'D)

I really feel sorry for Edward. D: Don't worry, although it seems Malice and Greed are getting along so fine, Urami's still alive, and she's still living for Edward, so... EdxUrami still lives. It just doesn't look like it at the moment... I mean, don't you think that the moment Urami and Edward meet again will be like, "OOOOOOMMMMMG! -cries with happiness-". ... that's how I'm going to react. XD

But yeah. I hope you liked it! Please enter your reviews, I really like what you guys have to say, especially any personal thoughts about it, negative and positive alike! :D And tell me if there's any grammar errors, please, I hate it when I screw that up X'D Sorry for the delay!

~Vixen

P.S. I made a poll, and I'd like to see how you guys fair with it. XD It's on my profile if you're interested :)


	24. Happiness

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's plots, ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 24

Edward's recovery could have been as good as victory. He could argue otherwise, but continuing to dwell on it only hurt him more. He decided to do his best to forget. She could be anywhere now. If he ever crossed with her, though, what then? He thought that that would be a long while from now, so he'd think about it when he could later...

The reality of the State Alchemy Assessment didn't hit him as hard as he thought it would. He was long past overdue, and although he sincerely didn't want to have anything to do with it at the moment, he needed to. He'd lose his title in the state, and then what was the point of his venture? It was mandatory for returning him and his brother back to their original selves. Whatever happened... was simply a side-note in what he yearned for all along, he decided.

The word 'side-note' toiled revoltingly on his tongue.

He packed up his things, and Alphonse stood by waiting for him by the bedroom door. He would see him off at the front door. Edward laughed dryly; Teacher had made it clear that Alphonse was to stay and remain her 'sparring partner'. The youngest brother seemed in total unease. Regardless, perhaps some things would lighten up a little.

"Don't cause too much trouble while I'm gone," Edward said, trying to sound light. He gave his brother a nervous smile while he threw his suitcase onto his shoulder. "And stay alive."

"I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything..." Alphonse mused, and the both of them laughed softly. It was hard not to hear the laugh of Urami, ringing in unison with theirs. Edward cleared his throat. Together they left the room and down the staircase. Winry was there, waiting with Teacher. She stood up as she saw Edward, and he smiled at her gently. She smiled back.

"Time to go, huh," Teacher said. "Being a dog of the military is shitty work, but you took it on. With that, responsibility."

"I know," Edward smiled modestly. "I'll get it done, and come back as soon as I can."

"How's your automail feeling?" Winry asked, and Edward moved his joints to demonstrate briefly. He nodded to her gratefully.

"Everything's working fine. Thanks, Winry."

She beamed at him.

The both of them left through the front door, and with Izumi and Alphonse seeing them off, they headed for the train station. Winry was to return back to Rush Valley, to continue on with her work. Edward would go to the Southern Headquarters. So really, the two of them wouldn't be on the same train, as the two destinations were in opposite directions. This proved to be disappointing to Winry. She really wanted to talk to Edward, to help him. She wasn't able to for the past few days, since he was recovering, and she was somewhat nervous about it, too.

She watched him as she followed, and he lead the way through the sunny streets filled with energy. For a long time, she just saw him as a bratty brother. Now, he looked different, just by looking at him from the back. Perhaps he looked stronger. She didn't know.

They got to the train station, got their tickets, and not too long afterward, the train to the south came first. Edward smiled at Winry ruefully.

"Listen... I'm sorry you had to come down for me, and not have any time to spend time together. I hope you do well in Rush Valley."

Winry shook her head, and she gave him a reproachful look. "Enough of the sorry's and thank-yous. It's unlike you. I'm more used to the bratty Edward." He realized that she was trying to be humourous, so he offered a small smile. Her one brow raised. "I don't need any of it, so don't worry about it."

Edward nodded, a little too out of it to respond in a more effective way. He boarded the train after verifying his ticket, picked a seat by the window, and no sooner had he sat down did the conductor announce departure. He waved to Winry as the train rolled farther away from her. She waved back until she was out of Edward's line of sight.

Winry's train arrived many minutes later, as Edward's train needed to get past the crossroad in order to avoid collision. When the train squealed to a stop, she vaguely heard a worried voice behind her.

"Have you seen my husband? Sir, here's his picture... Ma'am, have you seen my husband? He's twenty-three, we've only gotten married... m-miss, have you seen my husband?"

Winry turned around, searching the crowd. It took her some time to single the voice out. It was a young woman, but older than Winry, with her hair tied back but messy with stress. Her eyes darted from passenger to passenger who walked to catch their train. Many of them didn't even look at the photo before they refused. Other more considerate people shook their heads with remorse or helplessness. The woman saw Winry looking at her, and she squirmed through the people to get to her, desperate.

"Have you seen my husband?" she repeated what Winry heard so many times. The man in the photo was a lean, optimistic-looking man with thin glasses perched on his nose. "He owns the flowershop in the main road of town. Did you see him at closing time?"

Truthfully, Winry had not. She shook her head, and the woman's shoulder's sagged. "When was the last time you saw him?" Winry asked.

"Closing time. He ushered me home and closed the shop. He never came home. I-I don't know where he's gone."

"I'm very sorry I didn't see him," Winry began, but the woman waved the apology away. Winry tried to catch her eye again and smiled at her. "He should be around. Just wait and see."

The woman looked doubtful, but she nodded. Winry looked at the train behind her, then thought patiently. When the woman began to close their conversation and continue on to ask others, Winry decided.

"I'll help you find him if you like."

The woman's eyes glanced at the train, then at Winry's bag. Winry took her hand and lead her off the platform. "That wasn't your train?"

"Not anymore. Come on; tell me where you haven't looked, okay?"

Tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes. "Thank you. Thank you."

* * *

Malice left The Devil's Nest later than usual. Earlier that day she was ordered with recon once more. She was also paired with Bido again, and they reached the same city as before, patrolling, making sure no one that would cause them any threats or problems were around. Malice's treatment to Bido was a little like Greed's, but much more cruel, and a cruelty Bido learned fast to adore. If anything, Malice teased Bido like some small sibling, playful. The behaviour in each other's presence was now second nature to them.

The recon was more entertaining than orderly, and when they returned together again at nightfall, Malice took the time to drink with the chimaeras in their nightly toast. Drinking alcohol made the sin purr, but she knew not to drink so much of this human poison. The chimaeras and Greed left together to tour the city that night afterwards.

The relationship between Malice and Greed? Conditional gone unconditional. Malice felt she no longer needed a reason to stay. She felt most comfortable here, and Greed was an icon of the comfort, despite his ability to get on her nerves. She could tell Greed enjoyed the fact she stayed, and she didn't care that it was simply to satisfy his avarice. She somehow knew that this wasn't the case... Although they hadn't done serious jobs as of yet, she anticipated doing great things with his and the chimaeras' company. She started to feel grateful circumstances turned out this way.

Especially with me gone. She had seen me, lifelessly sitting in our mind, not responding to anyone, not even to Margaret, who eventually was called out by the Gate. My form made Malice grin, with no remorse, as she saw me with a pain she yearned for so long. Perhaps it was just her nature calling, or equal retribution for the things I did to her; I knew not of her reasonings. Her emotions now were that of her own.

Enjoying this freedom, Malice entered the night in the direction of the meat shop. She wondered what wold happen if she ventured there. Would I respond, try to stop her, and fail? Would she decide to kill Edward, and turn Alphonse in to Greed? It would be so easy. Izumi would prove naught a challenge, with her condition; hit her in the right spot and her remaining insides would explode. Malice didn't care what happened, but rather wanted something spontaneous. She felt bold.

She arrived at the meat shop, and unlike the first night — where she obliged me to see Edward —, she felt no fear or tension. She stayed out of the light, leaping onto the roof weightlessly and noiselessly. She moved to the small chimney. No sound channeled up, and she frowned. All she heard was a knife chopping through meat. She deduced that that was Izumi's husband, Sig, but where was Izumi? She tiptoed across the roof toward the edge, where Edward's room was.

It wasn't lit. Vacant? Malice transitioned to her knees and swung her head down, her hair following in a dark curtain, and she peered into the room. After realizing the lack of their presence, she twisted down and landed in the room, quickly stepping quietly around, searching. She saw nothing pertaining to personal belongings. Alphonse had no need for that kind of thing, being without a body to take care of. Edward did. Had they left?

She checked the room again, and cursed under her breath. The morning recon team said the targets were still stationary. They left already? She could understand with Winry leaving, but the brothers as well?

She jumped out of the window to the ground, before Sig would ever consider acknowledging any noise she might of carelessly allowed. Her lips curled into a silent snarl, but then slid back down. Izumi should be here regardless. She couldn't have gone anywhere with them, could she? Granted, the homunculus was not paying any attention to what they were planning...

She made her way back to The Devil's Nest, but then she saw them, not too far ahead. She realized with glee that it was here that she killed the florist. So they had finally found his body. Izumi was standing at the mouth of the alley with many other people, officials and the like, and she was comforting the florist's wife. She sobbed, and shrieked, and moaned. Malice's soul trembled with ecstasy.

Upon seeing Alphonse and Winry, she hid herself more deeply in the shadows. No one heard her, but the armour had turned to her general direction, although not knowing why. Winry, distressed by what she had found, noticed, but didn't ask him anything. The tears glittered in her eyes.

"I can't believe someone would ever do this to someone," she was saying breathlessly. She was holding her hand close to her mouth. "It's... it's..."

"I know," Alphonse sighed. He turned back to Winry and set a hand on her shoulder gently. "I can't believe it either."

"Will we tell Edward this when he gets back?"

"Eventually, but he won't be here for a long while; the assessment he missed in the south would have to take up a lot of paperwork... but you have to get back to Rush Valley, please. The killer might still be on the loose. I'll see you off tomorrow morning, okay?"

"But I don't want to leave any of you alone," Winry objected. "Not after whatever happened with Urami. The two of you have gotten so distant. I don't understand."

"I don't either. But just trust us, Winry. When we figure it out, we'll tell you. We'll get through this, but we want you somewhere bad people can't reach. Just promise us you'll stay there. Promise for Edward."

She kept quiet after that, but she eventually and reluctantly agreed. Malice left the scene like a bullet for The Devil's Nest, excited. The sun would rise in a few hours for morning. She had no motivation to get to and kill Winry, though tempting it did seem when Alphonse had said it. Once Winry was out of the picture, Alphonse was alone, and up for Greed to take. Finally, they'd do something other than recon.

She didn't care Edward was out of the town, on whatever errand he had. She only cared that he was coming back.

* * *

Greed and the chimaeras returned in the early hours, as usual. Having much to drink that night, his underlings weren't up for staying awake any longer, and they retreated to their rooms. Only exceptions to stay a little longer were Martel and Dolcetto, who lounged on the stools by the counter. Dolcetto blinked and picked up a piece of paper on the marble surface, turning it over and examining it.

"This is addressed to you, Mr. Greed," he said, holding it up. In the midst of cracking his neck, Greed looked over with a puzzled expression. He ventured over and took it from Dolcetto. Sure enough, his name was written on it in crude writing. He opened it and read the note. Malice had no womanly calligraphy whatsoever.

"Malice wrote you something?" Martel asked. Greed scrunched it up and tossed it into the garbage can, then he stretched.

"She wants me to wake her up in the morning. She's got something important to report."

"You could always wake her now," Dolcetto mused. "The sun's gonna rise any second."

"She'll be real grouchy if I do that." Greed looked up to the ceiling in thought. But he smiled. "I think I'll do that."

"Make sure she doesn't slash you up too badly," Martel joked, and Greed waved her away with a smirk. He knew that wouldn't be the case. He went off to Malice's room, and he knocked gently, to see if she was awake. With no response, he took it as an invitation to go in. He looked inside the somberness of the room, and his eyes adjusted to see in it. He saw Malice's sleeping form on the bed and approached.

He realized that she had transformed completely into her Ore for slumber. She lay asleep in a strange type of curl, half on her side, half on her front, with her arms folded loosely and her head tucked in the basket the arms made. Her one knee was close to touching her one elbow. The plates of the armour in some places shifted against one another when she breathed. Her Ore must have let her sleep more at ease, making her feel more impenetrable.

Greed was reluctant to wake her up, crouching down. But he wanted to hear what she had to say. His hand reached out to her shoulder and shook it lightly. His face was close to Malice's. "Hey, sweetheart," he whispered. "Rise and shine."

She roused, and the Ore disappeared slowly. Once back to normal, she blinked her eyes, despite the absence of light to get used to. She rubbed the sleep from one eye. She looked remorseful that her sleep was cut so short. He smiled ruefully.

"You had something to tell me?"

Upon the reminder, her eyes snapped open, and she took in a huge breath to help rejuvenate herself. She pushed herself up and sat cross-legged, although her shoulders still sagged from drowsiness.

"Alphonse, the walking armour, is alone," she yawned triumphantly. He blinked. "Today's the day! Immortality's within reach now."

"Today, huh?" Greed stroked his chin, smiling as he realized what this meant.

"It doesn't get any easier than this. The chimaeras can lead him over here and you would have him for interrogation."

"Things are starting to look promising!"

He jumped to his feet and laughed, pacing around the dark space. He continued; "Waiting for the right moment, and here it is. Leading him astray and alone won't be a problem anymore. And I'll get my hands on the secret, and then, I'll be unstoppable."

Malice smiled at his figure in the dark, content at his excitement.

"What about you?"

"Me?" she asked. Greed returned to her bedside and crouched, his violet eyes glinting with their collected light, and he took her hand.

"Well, you said so yourself not too long ago. I'm getting what I want, so you should too. What is it you desire?"

Malice laughed, slipping his hand out of his. "It's not time yet," she explained. "When the time comes I'll tell you. It'll only happen _after _you get the secret, not at the same time."

She could tell Greed was a little confused. It was hard not to tell him, but she thought that, if she said the plan aloud, she'd be too impatient to follow it through. Besides, it will come in good time. The soonest she could say would be when Edward came back.

"You seem pretty determined that things will go your way," he said slyly. He winked at her and stood up. "Well whatever it is, I'll make sure you'll get it."

As Greed turned his back and headed to the door, Malice leaned back and sighed leisurely.

"Why is it you care whether I get what I want, Greed? Just curious."

He halted, surprised by the question. "Why wouldn't I?" he ventured.

"Well, you're Greed. You should really just care for yourself, and getting what you want should be the only thing on your mind, not about getting things _other_ people want _for _them."

He turned around to look at her, frowning. "After all this time," he said slowly, "you think that's the only thing I think about?"

Malice took some time to absorb the question. "No," she answered. "But it should be, isn't it?"

"I'm sure. But why should we care about 'should's in this case? Doesn't do us any good. It's not useful."

Her eyes transitioned up to the ceiling as she hummed in consideration. Greed continued.

"Well, think of it this way; it's very much the same. Is malice and spite the only thing you think of? Would you _really_ still be here, if I didn't give you any chance to hurt and kill people?"

Malice's silence dragged on for a while. Greed didn't know if she was thinking, or if the conversation was done. He couldn't bring himself to leave, so he waited patiently. He wanted to know what it was she was thinking, and hoping that he was right to think he understood Malice.

"...no... and yes."

"It can either be yes or no—"

"They're separate answers, in order."

Greed waited, and she stretched her limbs. He could see her smile in the dark as she considered her words. She curled into the bed like a cat.

"Malice and spite aren't the only things I think about now. I don't know why, and I figure it's got to do with me understanding more and more about things; things that I previously thought differently on. The last question are one of such things, that I've already thought about before."

Malice was taking her sweet time, and it was driving Greed crazy. He heard her say yes to the last, but could she truly mean it? He wanted her to say it in full context.

"And?"

"Yeah, I'd still be here whether you had anything I wanted or not. As to why..." She took in a breath. " For once, I've got a friend. I wouldn't be able to leave you if I tried."

Now this... Greed realized that this was a different case from the time Malice enlightened him in the woods. He saw no moments of weakness in her now. He remembered when she first refused to join them, she told him repeatedly she didn't need anyone, no _friends_. Her opinion on the matter may or may not have changed, but for the first time, she allowed the thought of 'friend' to enter and she accepted it. This was an instance where Malice openly admitted Greed wasn't just some form of benefit to her. Greed couldn't accept this; it was something he liked to think of, but never believed Malice would feel the same way.

"Even if you're just a possession to me?" he questioned.

Malice knew what it meant to be a possession. She laughed. "...well, even if that _was_ the case... you don't abandon your possessions, now do you?"

He grinned. "We'll see this to the end, and we'll each get what we desire."

"I'll hold you up to that, friend," she purred.

* * *

After a few hours of preparation, the operation of capture was started. Malice had no involvement in the matter, at least not as of yet. She found the confinement of her room much more appropriate for now. She assumed the brothers had no idea she was there, so it would cause all the more of a twist for them.

Somewhat in the middle of her room, she sat, cross-legged and in a meditating trance, just as she was before. She had enveloped herself in the Ore again, for the same reason she did so as she slept. Hands knitted together, she closed her eyes to completely focus. Usually, she didn't need this much effort to enter our mind. However, she wanted to confront me in a much more physical form, in which her entire attention was needed.

I sat in the realm of grey, as I had always had since her ghastly murder. She found me with no trouble at all. The children were with me, surrounding me in a silent circle, simply offering their presence to comfort me. That did no such thing. When they saw Malice, and the blackness she brought with her, most of them stood up, solemn.

"Get out," Cid growled. Malice tilted her head, scoffing.

"Can't I offer a few words? I'm sure my human side would like to know what's going on. After all, she's been sitting around like some drooling vegetable."

My head lifted up a little from my stupor. My eyes searched my sin out, and her visage haunted me. I was afraid, but then I had to remember that I was the only one that could oppose her level. I tried getting to my feet, but it was too troublesome. Some of the children helped me up, and I pushed them lightly away with a thank-you.

"What is it, Malice?" I asked. She folded her arms and stared at me. Those eyes really pained me to look at.

"We've got Alphonse under our roof now. Isn't that nice?"

No. The thought made my heart cringe. Why didn't I consider this before... I blamed myself. I was the one that suggested to Malice to stay, even after I knew Greed wanted Alphonse's secret. I had thought I could influence Malice to convince Greed differently. But since I fell victim to helplessness, she helped him get what he wanted.

Malice, still connected to me, felt my dread. She tilted her head to the other side, tiredly. "Edward's out of town, if that puts you more at ease. He'll come back though, and I can finish it all."

"Monster," Rosalyn hissed. Tears of frustration sat in the corners of her eyes. "You come here just to tell this to Urami, to hurt her even more? I've never known a creature so brutal."

"Oh, cry me a river," Malice laughed scornfully. "That's not the only thing I wanted to say. I also want to _thank_ human side."

Thank? I couldn't think this to be anything good. I felt like I was responsible for everything that happened, everything that Malice had done, and will do. What could she possibly say furthermore to make me succumb to complete depression? Malice looked at me and creased her eyes, and it was hard to say whether they were the result of an invisible smile or a feeling of hate.

Before she could say whatever she had in store, radiance of white drained the blackness of the sky away, all the way up to where Malice was, where it stopped abruptly. Malice was unfazed as she watched the figure of Margaret approach, walking toward them like a beacon of hope. When she arrived in their presence, the area was a range of pure white, tainted grey, and sordid black. The mother and the sin stared each other down.

"I've been watching you, Malice," Margaret said slowly. "And your behaviour is much less predictable than I would have originally thought."

Malice's eyes dilated challengingly. "What have you deduced, then?"

"You and Urami are very much alike."

The silence that ensued after was thick and slow, like molasses. In the first time in this period of despair, I felt outrage, and I stared at Margaret for an explanation. Me, compared to Malice? What the hell was in that? She glanced at Malice, who's challenging look was long gone. Instead, her face was tilted down, and the eyes were still locked onto Margaret.

"Comparing me to_ her_, are you? In what way?"

"You're grown attached to someone."

"The Fullmetal Alchemist caused Urami to drive her life to oblivion. She was forced to keep secrets. She fell in love with him, someone who she was supposed to kill. There are plenty of differences between her and myself."

"You don't say?"

Malice jabbed a finger at herself. "I'm not so stupid as to think I'm not supposed to feel anything anymore. I'm an artificial human. I now admit that the word _human_ is indeed a root word. So sure, I'm starting to understand how Urami caved into such influence. Unlike her, though," she glanced at me, as I watched her in confused awe, "I have no secrets to destroy me, and I have not grown attached to people whom I'm to end the lives of. Lastly, I'm not in love. Greed is my friend, as simple as that."

"But you will never be in full control," Margaret objected calmly. "Things will lead to one thing, then to another, and one day, you may even face the same thing your human side had to. An evil such as yourself can only maintain happiness for so long."

"Well, we'll just have to see—" Malice was saying, but her image jumped out of place, as if she was being interrupted somewhere else. She disappeared altogether from their midst, and their conversation was cut so short. I was in a trance.

"Urami?" Margaret set a hand on my shoulder. "Come now; speak. There is still hope."

"I don't see it," I said breathlessly. I looked at her with strained eyes. "So what? So what if she's developed feelings? They're her own, not mine, and they'll have no interference in whether she kills Alphonse, or Edward, or anyone else! Don't tell me she's felt sympathy, because that's the only thing I see that might stop her."

Margaret's mouth drew itself in a indecisive line. "Hope doesn't mean it's going to happen," she confessed softly. Damn right it didn't. "But it doesn't mean it's _not_ going to happen, either. It will happen only if you help it to. You can't sit here and let things you don't want happening, happen."

"But what can I do?" The tears started to cascade down my cheeks. Now all the emotion that left me in this period came at me tenfold, and I was overwhelmed. Onto each thought I could only see Edward, and it made each emotion all the more painful to endure. Margaret embraced me.

"You'll find a way."

* * *

Malice came back to a world full of noise, and it ripped her from the conversation she had with Margaret and myself. She felt angry; Margaret's point was left to hang in the air for more time than Malice was going to allow, and the fact she couldn't counter it made her cheeks burn in humiliation.

There was noise of fighting in the halls, and as she approached the door, she saw shadows step in front of it on the other side. An instinct inside her told her to remain unseen. She leaped to the corner beside the door and no sooner had she done that was the door blasted open. She was trapped in the corner, the door forming an hypotenuse in the right triangle she was trapped in. She held onto the knob of the door to keep it as her wall, but she looked through the crack. Lo and behold, it was Izumi Curtis. She was looking for something, and that something was Alphonse. How she found the place, Malice wasn't too sure. Before Malice could decide to attack, she left the room again, finding nothing. Malice waited, then got out of the space and looked out into the hallway. Izumi was long gone down the hall, and as Malice looked the opposite way, she could see many of her comrades beaten all over the place.

The sin sighed and inspected all of them, pushing them up into more comfortable positions. She asked them, "Is she the only one here?"

Many of them nodded, and others mentioned an enormous man waiting outside. That could only be Sig. So Edward had not yet returned, but Izumi was going to take the action regardless. By all means, this didn't faze Malice at all; her desire to kill the Fullmetal Alchemist would just have to wait.

She had gone as far as the first chimaera fell, and she saw Sig waiting, though being eyed by a group of tipsy women. This was just outside the bar, a few meters from the metallic stairs. Malice had no interest in watching, as she only wandered there to see if there was any other threats. Seeing none, she turned back, passing through the bar again. People drinking there started to notice her, but she payed them no heed. Her intimidating visage restrained them from doing anything stupid, and the murmur grew again as she left.

She passed by the chimaeras who had fallen, which either stayed unconscious or started to wake up. Those that did wake up, she told them it'd be wise to fake unconsciousness. Things will be under control again, she added.

It turned out the interrogation was taking place in the back room where she killed most of her victims. As she walked to her destination, Margaret's words reached her ears, and she ground her teeth. She already knew that her happiness would fall short. She was a homunculus on the run, cursed to be hunted down until she was killed. She didn't believe in hope; she wasn't as gullible to truthfully believe in that kind of fantasy. She hated how Margaret reminded her. Couldn't she spend as much time as she could, then? Couldn't she live long enough to see to it that her friend gets the ultimate prize?

Upon reaching the room, she didn't fully prepare her entrance. She simply arrived with her eyes dulled and looking out in lost thought. The chimaeras there, such as Dolcetto, Roa, and a few others, parted to let her in, watching her. When out of the sea of bodies, she looked up carelessly and noticed eyes turn to her.

Greed broke her completely out of her thoughts. "Decided to join us, sweetheart?"

She brought her mind up to complete alert. She looked at Izumi's face, for it was the only one she could decipher the expression of, as Alphonse had no visage to judge such. Hers was of complete shock, and the hand she was nursing looked like nothing to her now. And from what Malice could read from Alphonse, the orbs in her eyes shrunk in size, and he heard him gasp.

"Malice!" he shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"What did I miss?" Malice asked Greed as if she heard nothing from the armour. She raised a hand to her neck, and looked at Greed more closely. She noticed that the Shield covered his arms and neck. She looked at the chimaeras behind her, and noticed that they, too, suffered from some sort of beating. "Izumi is putting up a great fight, huh?"

"Don't call me by name," she hissed at my sin. She turned to her fully, and she pointed her finger at her, blood drenching it. Malice stared at the finger, unimpressed. "To think you've been lurking in my town all this time dishonours me."

"I see there's no need for introductions," Greed mused. He addressed Malice with a content look on his face. "We're drawing to a close of our interrogation. The Master has agreed to send over the brother of our guest—"

"There's no way now!" Izumi shouted. "I won't allow Edward to come here with this monster here!"

"But then you won't be getting Armour-kun back, or the secret to creating a homunculus."

"I'll beat the shit out of you to get them both!"

"I think you should agree to the terms, Mrs. Curtis," Malice intervened calmly, and before Izumi could snap at her about using her name, the sin continued, pacing around the room. She stared up at the ceiling as she wandered around. "Greed is more than you can handle. And even if you succeed in damaging him, I'll have to join in and kill you. _Then _where does the interrogation lead?"

"Why the hell are you siding with him? I thought you worked on your own."

"Things change, Mrs. Curtis." Malice halted her pacing and pivoted on the spot, looking Izumi in the eye. "Some things only work with team effort."

Izumi must have thought that Malice worked with selfish reasons. Malice knew this, and she didn't want to explain herself. If everyone thought she was the enemy, that made everything more simple. She would have all the reason to kill, to protect herself, to seek all destruction.

"I'm what you might call 'on a short leash'. I can't hurt him just yet, if that puts your mind more at ease."

"I don't trust you," Teacher growled scathingly. Malice shrugged.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't. But... the secret to making a homunculus is quite a tidbit of information to pass up..." In the corner of her eye, she saw Alphonse shift, as if perking up. For good measure, she sighed;

"When you can make a homunculus, well, creating life, gaining what you lost, getting _new __**bodies**_... those things would all be child's play, in the end."

Izumi wanted to object, Malice knew it. But really, she wasn't looking for Izumi's answer, even if she was looking at her face. Alphonse was who she wanted to speak up. And speak up he did.

"Teacher... agree."

"Are you crazy?" Izumi hissed with gritted teeth, looking at her student. They shared looks with messages only they could understand. Malice waited for a moment where she was, then turned her back, wandering along the same path she took before. She heard the woman sigh heavily.

"Equal trade, right? Let's do this peacefully," Greed said aloud.

"You're telling me I should listen to kidnappers? Don't mess with me..."

"Master, please! Bring Big Brother here!" Though Malice still refused to look at him, she watched him in her peripheral vision. Alphonse looked down at his bound hands. "I beg you. At last, we've found our chance."

The silence between them was brief as Izumi thought this over. The chimaeras grew impatient, and Malice joined their group, smacking them on the shoulders in reassurance. She knew what the answer would be anyway. She looked over to Greed, watching his patient face. He looked like he knew it too.

"You're called Greed, right?"

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Izumi settled a hand on her hip. "Us alchemists primarily believe in creation, so I don't like to say this kind of thing but...

"_**If anything bad happens to people close to me, then I won't hesitate to obliterate everything here.**_"

With that, Izumi Curtis left, but on the way out she made sure to give Malice the most deadliest glare of all. The glare held the message, crystal clear; "You'll be the first one I go after." Malice smiled after her, and watched until the teacher was out of sight. Greed patted Alphonse on the back.

"Your master is amazing."

"Thanks..." Alphonse replied. He was staring at Malice, who still refused to acknowledge him. Her smile was gone, and she looked deep in thought again. Greed got up to her and tapped her shoulder, to which she took some time to respond to. She looked up at him and saw question in his contracted eyes.

"You alright?"

"Never better," Malice shrugged. "Where's Martel?"

"In here," the named one called, coming from within Alphonse. For the first time Malice looked over, but she still wasn't looking at him for what he was, but rather at the serpentine chimaera inside him. She walked over, and crouched in front of Alphonse, but with much distance between them. She was even looking at the orbs of his eyes and yet she wasn't seeing them.

"Is it even comfortable in there?"

"It's really cozy. But it's getting a little hot, and my legs ache for sitting for so long."

"Come out and take a break. He won't move while I'm here."

"How can you—?"

"I can make this guy _dance_. Don't worry about it. Come on out."

Malice wasn't going to take no for an answer, despite Martel's doubts. To prove herself, she held up her hands, to show that no strings were attached to what she did next. The supports that kept Alphonse's chest-plate in place unhatched and unscrewed themselves, and the chest-plate shot off, right into Malice's arms. Martel, startled by the sudden burst of light, took a moment to blink and absorb things. She eventually crawled out and stood up next to Alphonse, watching him, expecting him to get to his feet and walk out the door. He didn't move for a few moments, but then he dived for his chance, as if trying to catch them off-guard. Malice saw this coming, and Alphonse's attempt of escape simply made his armour tremble. Malice wasn't even frowning with concentration when he gave up, panting. She smiled.

"See? I've got it under control. Take a break, and I'll hand him back to you later."

Martel looked impressed. She patted the homunculus' shoulder on her way out. Malice looked over her shoulder and considered the other chimaeras. "I hear Edward's gone to the south, and it'll take him a while to come back. You guys can have a break too until then."

Many of them nodded, some sighing in relief; they thought they'd have to fend off some other psychopath any time soon. One by one, they left through the door, until the only ones present were Greed, Malice, and Alphonse. Malice was looking down at Alphonse's chest-plate, turning it over and over.

"Come on now, sweetheart. I don't like that look. 'Troubled' doesn't suit you."

"The humans inside me piss me off and won't shut up, that's all," she sighed. She lowered herself to sit down, and crossed her legs. "They don't have to remind me about things I already know. Nothing to worry about though. Okay, Greed?"

Greed watched her silently. She set the chest-plate on her lap, with the inside facing up at her. She could see her reflection in the metal, could hear the whispers of the metal.

"There are humans inside you, Malice?" Alphonse asked. Malice continued looking at her reflection, until she tilted the chest-plate up. She lifted her right hand up, index finger pointing heavenward, and she transformed the tip into the Ore. The screeching of her finger digging into the metal of the chest-plate was the only noise. Her scratches ran deep, every character she wrote down collecting the light in the creases. They didn't know that she was writing something, and before they could even think of it, she got up so fast and attached it back to Alphonse's body that they had no chance of seeing it. The message was trapped inside of him, until someone removed it or sat inside him. He didn't think Martel would be able to see it in the dark anyway.

"The humans are dying. They're not worth knowing anymore. Now, I don't want to hear another word out of you. It's already hard enough stopping myself from scratching away your soul."

It was now that Malice held Alphonse's gaze. She knew Alphonse was trying to search me out, at least a little spot in Malice's cold eyes that could give it away. But I was nowhere to be seen to the human eye. Malice stood up and stepped away, her back facing the armour. Even so, she heard the hum of the metal, and she kept him under her control. He tried to free himself, but he realized Malice knew what she was doing.

She stopped at Greed's side, both of them facing the door. Greed was looking at her, but she herself was staring off into some imagery she could only see. The conversation they had was one only they shared, and not one overheard. Alphonse had no recollection on what they said.

"Do you know what I really want, Greed?"

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"After you get your secret to immortality, I want to kill them. Both of the brothers. It's only then..."

She looked up at him at last. "It's only then that my happiness will stay alive."

Greed's eyes closed, and he chuckled, slow and deep. He set a hand on her shoulder softly.

"I'll see to it that you get what you want."

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N:_ And here we have Chapter 24.

I love writing character development too much. Can you tell? See, I like how some things change in a gradual manner but if you think about it, it's only been a few days in the arc that Malice has lived in The Devil's Nest, so I feel like it's totally not realistic. Character development takes longer than that. But I guess that, in the time periods that I don't mention, Malice's thinking A LOT.

Things are progressing at last, though, which I'm happy for. I'm not too happy about what I have to write soon though... :C I won't say yet, but you know.

Anyway, I hope you liked it! I tried to get it as big a chapter as I could so that you guys would forgive me for my habitual absences between chapters... and I want to sincerely thank the people who reviewed for the past couple of chapters. Really, you are the guys that make these chapters happen. Your inputs are all very helpful to me, even though it might not seem as much. Telling me what you think and any questions you have are like plot devices for me. XD

I'd love to hear more from you. But for now, have a nice day!

~Vixen


	25. Ruin

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's plots, ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 25

What Malice said... I couldn't get it out of my head. My spirit was far from eased. Alphonse was in their possession, and Edward was no doubt going to come after them, and that's exactly what my sin wanted. My heart sank at the thought, and grew tenfold each time it passed through my mind. Margaret watched me with her soft moss eyes, a hand on my shoulder. We didn't move from where Malice left us, and if anything, we had just sunken back to the ground to sit in each other's company. Although I appreciated all of them simply being there for me... it wasn't enough.

I stood up again, and as before, my legs didn't obey me as quickly. When the children tried to help me up again, I held up my hands, telling them to leave me to it. Margaret's hand remained on my shoulder as she followed me up. On my feet, I looked up at the "sky", still stained with Malice's darkness, but drifting away like rain clouds that have done their share. Considering them, my lips drew into a thin line.

"I can't sit here any longer," I whispered. "It doesn't do me any good. I feel like a coward, hiding."

"Are you ready?" Margaret asked tenderly. I looked at her for the longest time, reading her expression. She was considerably worried.

"Truthfully, no. But it's better this way."

Margaret nodded, closing her eyes. The other children, with Rosalyn and Cid at the front, reached out to me. Cecilia had crawled to me and tugged the leg of my pants. I smiled down at her, and at the rest of them. I closed my own eyes, and followed the exit out of my mind. It was easy now, that Malice no longer tried to lock me up, like when she tried at the Alchemist's.

When I joined the villains, I was silent for a good few moments. My heart tugged when I saw Alphonse bonded by the hands and sitting uselessly. Malice was sitting right in front of him, I wasn't sure why, but she was. Finally, Greed stood beside her, facing the door as some chimaeras returned from their break. Martel was still probably enjoying her freedom a little longer. The conversations of the chimaeras remained within their boundary, so they didn't think to tune in anything other than their own words.

Malice noticed me nearby. She flashed me a quick smirk, one hardly anyone but myself could catch. She didn't say anything, and if she did, it'd be a little amusing to see Greed or Alphonse's reaction.

Greed crouched down, a thoughtful look on his expression. Malice looked back up at him from her lounging. "I promised you can kill them," he said. "But you can actually _kill_ Armour-kun?"

"If you know where to strike," she replied. "There's a blood rune inside. That's what you'll be asking Edward about. As long as no one who's a threat knows about it, I believe it's pretty safe."

Greed nodded. Malice's eyebrow arched questioningly as she realized something she should have realized long ago. "Are you intending on transmuting your soul into armour, Greed?"

"When it calls for it, I suppose. Think about it; no need for sleep or food, and you could go on forever without getting tired."

"But we're already able to do that."

Greed leaned in slightly toward her to speak under his breath. "Philosopher Stones only last for so long. And look who's talking; you sleep pretty much all the time. You eat occasionally."

"I know," Malice sighed. "That's because of my general makeup, I think. But I don't find them so inconvenient."

Greed leaned back again and laughed. "That's all a matter of opinion."

"It was Urami I told about the blood rune to, not you..."

Alphonse's voice seemed very drained, and I pitied him. I was apologizing so much to him, with words I didn't think were enough. Eventually Malice glanced at me coldly, annoyed, trying to intimidate me into silence. Her attention returned back to their prisoner. He looked up at her as well.

"Who are you really, Malice? All I know is who you're not."

"I'm a homunculus, like Greed. What's more to know? It's all black and white."

"But what was your purpose? When we met, you totally had us believing you were simply a girl that needed help finding her memories."

Malice saw Greed turn around on the spot in interest, glancing from her to Alphonse. He began to understand why Malice knew much about the boys, and why she seemed so intent on killing them herself.

"...what happened to Urami?"

"Edward must have told you who she was. Just a figment, a means of escape." She looked at me briefly but firmly. "That's all she was. But I guess it takes more explanation to make things clear. And what do I have to lose in telling you? You're not going anywhere anyway.

"I think that the truth slipped past the both of you, since Edward wasn't present and there wasn't any opportunity for you to find out, because I killed the Alchemist. That man created me using the souls of many children. He managed to avoid the cost of human transmutation doing so.

"I was created anew. This body was created a year ago, but technically I've only just awakened. The Urami you knew?" Her words lashed at me like strikes from a whip: "Consider that a faulted version of myself. That was an inexperienced reflection, someone who didn't know who she was and what to follow; her sense, or her heart. She was sent by the core source of the homunculi to kill you and Edward —specifically Edward— and remove all threats to their plan. But she loved you brothers too much, and that ended her. I was born when she fell, like a phoenix born of the ashes."

The ones who listened to this —Greed and Alphonse— were both silent, and Malice smiled.

"Confused, aren't you?" she said, more so directed at Greed. He ran his fingers through his spiked hair, smiling crookedly.

"Not full detail, but I know how you roll. At least I've got the gist of it."

"I'll tell you more about it sometime, depending on how things turn out." Malice leaned forward, her head dipping up, so she could look up at Alphonse's lowered face. "Any more questions?"

Martel walked into the room with a roasted delicacy on a stick protruding from her mouth. Malice turned her head and acknowledged her, almost missing Alphonse's words.

"I won't believe Urami is just a figment. Does she still exist in you, trapped?"

Malice said nothing as she rolled onto her feet. She greeted Martel as if she hadn't heard Alphonse's question, until she retraced her steps backwards. She bent down, one hand on her knee, and the other placed on the front of his chest plate. Her finger tapped on the surface consecutively, at an equal interval, a very subtle indication.

"I've already answered that question."

I wasn't sure what she meant when she said that, whether I existed anymore or not. But what difference did it make, really? It was a depressing thought. She felt the emotion that threatened to overwhelm me, and a cunning grin crossed her features. She straightened up and flipped Alphonse's helmet off, through which Martel slipped into as she discarded her finished snack.

"There's a few days left I reckon; probably a week until the Fullmetal Alchemist arrives," she said musingly. "Until then, we just wait I guess. The other brother is the key."

She turned to leave, as it was her own turn to take a break. She said more to herself than to anyone else;

"And when keys aren't needed, they're discarded."

I saw Greed watch her leave, a small smile on his face. I didn't understand why he would look at her in such a gentle way, even though she was a complete monster. I reminded myself that he himself was a monster, at least as far as I knew. The two of them worked well together, despite how they started off, and it irritated me. I was trapped at all sides and Malice was living life comfortably, and what's more, it looked like she got to keep someone when I had to lose my own. Edward. Was Margaret's word genuine though, that Malice was eventually going to lose everything? Maybe in the far future, but certainly not anytime soon...

"You've finally came out to join in, have you?" Malice said to me after a few moments of the door closing behind her. I didn't want to talk to her. She sensed my scorn, and since it was an emotion she was so accustomed to feeling herself, she scoffed. "Will you stay to see if Edward arrives?"

I turned to glare at her. _I'll not only be here. I'll try with all my might to stop you from doing anything you intend to do._

She laughed more strongly as she made her way to her room. No one was around to dub her insane. "What other tricks do you have up your sleeves? Not that you have sleeves anyway... my Stone is well out of your reach."

_I don't know how, but I will. _She sensed it for what it was; a bluff.

I was suddenly reminded of my thoughts previously, when I looked at Greed. My form stopped, while my sin continued to her room. We were still bound, though, so she felt the spiritual tug between us, and she looked at me over her shoulder. She, being the stronger of us two now, could easily rip me forth, but she was curious. I saw it in her eyes.

_If we switched roles, _I said slowly, trying to imagine it myself, _I would try to kill Greed._

Malice's eyes widened. She turned fully so that her whole body faced me. For once I finally got her attention, and she was taking me seriously. I then had no doubt that she actually felt for Greed, and that astounded me. Not only was she not supposed to, she had no right to. Her eyes seemed confused, like her mind was trying to compute something, but then they grew cold. "...you wouldn't."

_How do you know? I know you want to kill Edward and cause me that much pain. Well, wouldn't me killing Greed do the same thing to you? Isn't Edward to me like Greed is to you?_

"So what if it is? Comparing things has no meaning to me. I don't care what happens to you, because all you are is a parasite."

_So I've heard... but you're right. I wouldn't kill _Greed.

"Then why the hell bring up some kind of philosophy?" Malice's lips spread wickedly. She turned her back on me as if to finish the conversation, but I wasn't finished. As I followed her to her door, and as she wrapped her fingers around the doorknob, I told her very clearly.

_Margaret said we were alike, but I know fully well where we're set apart. I know for sure that, no matter how much I hate you, I'd never kill the one you care for. Never._

She froze where she was, in the middle of turning the knob. Her eyes looked distant as they travelled up the wood; she looked like she was taking my words into consideration. For one naïve moment, I actually thought that it would change her mind. She rolled her shoulders as if to channel the words out of her head.

"That kind of thinking, human side, is what got you into this mess. Trying to do what's right in a world of wrong gets you _nowhere_. Especially when there are people like me dominating in it."

_You're wrong._

She looked at me, and we held gazes for a long while. I couldn't read her expression. "So you say that you can make a difference. That you, no matter what destiny's signed you up for, can always try to change it."

They didn't sound like questions, but they didn't sound like statements, either. I held my head high and said nothing, but my expression told her that what she repeated was true. I had to at least try and protect Edward and Alphonse however I could.

Malice didn't say anything either, so she went inside her room. Being still connected to my body, I followed. She went to freshen up in the washroom, and then she left her room once more. I figured she wanted to leave The Devil's Nest to walk the streets, and I grew uneasy of the thought of her roaming the streets. It reminded me of the florist, and I hope she didn't kill anymore after that event. It turned out, however, that she had killed two other people in my absence, and fewer people stuck around at night because of that. More police officers monitored the corners, now looking for the murder or any case relative to his or her location. Malice slipped by their surveillance without any amount of effort. I wasn't sure if she had any intention of killing someone that night.

Perhaps she was still thinking about what I said. I'm not sure. I guess that's just me and my wishful thinking.

* * *

Malice and Bido walked through the forest away from Dublith, a couple of days after she and I last talked. I stayed outside our mind, forcing myself to stay and try to keep her in line, even though I had no effective method of doing so anymore. Luckily she wasn't doing anything right now that was against my morals. She was simply on recon once more with her traditional partner, checking the perimeter of the area to make sure that nothing would interfere with their business.

Malice and Bido somehow always found something to talk about. They would often talk about something humorous that happened at The Devil's Nest, or Bido would share his experiences in Laboratory 5. Malice had no similar stories to that, as most of our life was in my perspective, but she commented with smart remarks and the two of them laughed together. I was slightly envious of their carefree attitudes, but I was also still intrigued. Malice had a different way of treating other people when she wasn't trying to hurt them.

Something was up when they circled around a canyon that hindered their way. Usually they would go through it, but recently the rain of a storm filled it with plenty of water, and the pesky insects that came with it would prove annoying to fend off. So they decided to go around it, and when reaching the far rock face, they heard noises that no form of nature could provide. There was a lot of human activity, and Malice and Bido approached cautiously. I, being curious myself, left them as far as my body could let me and overlooked the canopy. Some smoke trailed up from the trees, and I noticed many spaces where trees were removed.

There was a path up ahead, and there were soldiers along it. Foot infantries and officials in vehicles were making their way, either first embarking or they were reinforcements. Malice and Bido soon saw this through trunks of the trees. I returned to them to see it through their point of view.

"What are they doing here?" Malice asked Bido under her breath. He looked at them, with a very small hint of distaste in his eyes. They reminded him of the Laboratories and how the militaries used him for experiments.

"I have no idea. To have soldiers on the march like this, it's as if some sort of war is about to start."

Malice looked at them closely, took her bearings. The both of them hid deeper into the trees when a line of soldiers walked closer to the treeline.

"No," Malice whispered to him. "That looks like too little a group for them to try and fight a battle. And within the borders of Amestris? There aren't any civil wars nearby; we've been on recon for a long while and nothing's broken out."

I looked at them, then at the soldiers. Their numbers were dwindling as they neared the end. When the last few soldiers disappeared down the path, Malice and Bido sat normally. I was still looking after the soldiers, and then my nostrils flared. A sudden idea appeared in my mind, and I couldn't help but say it aloud.

_They're not ready for war._ Malice looked up at me while Bido was busy trying to work things out in his brain. _They're ready for extermination._

Malice caught on, and her eyes widened. As a matter of fact, she took her bearings again and determined the direction they were heading, and their location in relation to the destination. A twisted expression of anxiety and anger flashed upon her features.

"For the love of—!" she cursed. Bido looked at her in alarm. She jumped out of the undergrowth and forced her fingers roughly through her bangs and the crown of her hair. "They're heading for Dublith!"

"Dublith?" Bido exclaimed. His alarm strengthened. "No!"

"Someone must have tipped them off! I don't think the others can put up with a fully-armed squadron..."

"Then let's go!" Bido disappeared through the foliage, his tail remaining for a second as a reminder of where he used to be. Malice shot off after him, and I was pulled along with them. "We have to warn Mr. Greed and the others!"

"Will we even make it in time...?" Malice's doubts lingered for a second, but her mind made itself up. Her muscles tensed, and she pushed every fiber in her body for speed. It was no trouble running from Lust and Envy, so why would running back to Dublith be? She had to think of her destination, think of her friend waiting. That was enough motivation. I found myself admiring that strength, and wished I had more of it within myself.

* * *

Once arriving in Dublith, it was already apparent that some sort of military operation was taking place. The streets were crowded with wary people, speaking of the roads downtown and the commotion down that way. Soldiers in uniform stood at the corners of the streets to stop anyone from entering the danger zone. The way to The Devil's Nest was barred, at least for anyone human. Bido and Malice continued to hurry toward their destination by rooftop, sleekly avoiding attention from below.

They dropped into the alleyway that ran along the side of The Devil's Nest, and gunfire soared through the air, irritating their ears. Bido seemed frightened; the dislike he held for the military quickly transformed into worry and fear. Malice considered his expression before nearing the mouth of the alley. Under the darkness she watched as more soldiers guarded the staircase to the entrance. She eyed the ranks, blood-thirst crawling up to the surface of her being. The gunfire continued to sound, and she heard familiar shouts and bodies hitting the ground. The sounds made her tense.

"They're hunting us chimaeras," Bido said softly to her, and his worry wouldn't wash away. His hands came together nervously. "Mr. Greed..."

"Greed's okay," Malice told him firmly. "He's gotta be. I'm going inside."

His eyes widened in horror. "Th-They'll get you too!"

"I'd like to see them try...—" She was saying, when she caught a piece of a name. Her eyes shot back to the outside streets and she pressed herself closer to the stone to stay in the shadow as she moved closer. She caught it again.

_King Bradley._

A sudden fear wretched its claws around her core, as if trying to crush the iron casket she set up to protect herself. "Pride's here? He's_ here?_"

_What's wrong?_ I asked her acidly. She didn't react to my question quickly, frozen with some sort of mental paralysis. Bido watched her desperately, hoping she had something planned. When she didn't move at all, he reached out to her, setting a hand on her shoulder. She flinched under his touch and stared at him in shock. They didn't say anything.

_You'd be smart to run now,_ I told her plainly. _If Pride's in there, you're as good as cooked. He'll take you back to **them.**_

Malice considered my words closely, and she looked like she wanted to take my advice. In some ways, I expected her to. But then she said, at last, "...Greed's in there."

Bido blinked. _So what?_ I sniffed. I wanted to see what she would do. Sure enough, her expression of fear disappeared, and her brows furrowed.

"Fuck Bradley," she hissed. She pushed Bido back into the shadows. The Ore started to cover her body, starting from her fingertips and working fast. "You stay here. Don't be seen."

His expression was heart-wrenching to look at. "But, wait!—"

By the time he finished that word, the Ore had completely covered her face, and she burst into the light. It was one single leap, straight for the wall facing The Devil's Nest. Her armour confused and disoriented the soldiers, directing the sun's glare like an all-way mirror. Her feet met the opposite wall and she absorbed the landing, and in the next second she twisted around and kicked off, propelling herself to an upper window, meant for the residents living above the rowdy night bar. They would have been in for a surprise as she crashed through the glass with a purpose, but it seemed like they were evacuated. Pride was making it seem like a responsibly-taken maneuver, that he was using his power for the good of the people. What a façade.

She heard through the floorboards the activity down below. She calculated and sensed them; seven people were on their feet, while fading souls were rendered stationary and injured on the floor. Those could only be the chimaeras keeping guard outside their headquarters.

She now heard shouts from outside; the soldiers she passed were sending warnings inside. She stopped, and at the same time, the ones below did, too. Everything was quiet for a second, and then the unleashed storm of artillery fire ripped the floor. Open contact, the bullets ricocheted off her skin, spitting orange sparks. She wasn't accustomed to this, and flinched the first flurry of shots, but then she saw the opportunity of this. The floor grew weaker, and would just prove easier to dispel for her entrance.

She plummeted through the floorboards and delivered the dire, mortal wounds to the first four soldiers in sight. Their throats slit, they fell to the ground, curling like withered leaves as they tried to stop the bleeding. The other three held their guns high and directed at her.

She looked at the chimaeras that lay dead, many of them she recognized by name. She couldn't explain the feeling she felt, the deep hatred she had. She thought it was simple blood-thirst, but it ran much deeper, so much deeper that it hurt her, made her sick. I realized that she was ultimately angry, not because her own soldiers were down for the count, but because she was losing people that she saw at her own level. Seeing them dead haunted her with an even worse image of...

This only made her purpose of coming even more urgent. The bullets blasted at my sin, but to no avail to the humans present. Before they had even hit the ground, she was gone, searching.

"Greed!"

She heard the footfalls of soldiers both behind and in front of her. The halls that lead off from the bar seemed much more longer and narrower than she usually found them. They also didn't prove easy to maneuver with a riled mind; she dropped in an area she hardly set foot in, and moving forward was the only thing she could do. I had no idea on the matter either, since I wasn't the one able to explore before. When a soldier rounded the corner, she struck them without mercy and let them fall, dead or barely alive. The chimaeras she passed were dead and dying, and I wondered what Malice would really do if she saw Roa or Dolcetto. She didn't stop to investigate their bodies, to determine if they were still alive, because she just didn't think of it. What blinded her, along with the mental image she wanted to reject, was ignorance.

"_Greed!_"

* * *

Greed tilted his head slightly, turning his acute ears, hearing down the hall from the last room, where the interrogations were supposed to take place. In the end, he ordered his underlings away, taking Armour-kun with them. He had to stay behind for the fight, and this was where he resulted in transforming himself fully into the Ultimate Shield. His opponent lay crumpled against the wall, presumingly dead, but he heard the boy's rasp breathing. He heard the gunfire, and he heard Malice calling for him. Her voice echoed with an anxiety he wanted to ease, but he couldn't leave.

"Dead?"

Edward came to them much earlier than Malice had anticipated. He was indefinitely faced with the task of filling papers, but the Führer accepted his papers without any effort at all. It was irresponsible to Edward, but it was also a stroke of luck. He returned to Dublith this morning, and he found his master slightly injured and his brother gone. When his master told him that his brother was being held for ransom, he came by himself to resolve whatever matters they had.

She warned him about _her_. She was here in Dublith the entire time, and he didn't know how to feel. He was definitely shocked, for he thought their confrontation would be far in the future rather than the current day. The pain throbbed in his chest at the memories, and his flesh burned where her deadly touch kissed. But this was not the time; it was selfish to think about her now. She wasn't even here personally. His brother was more important to him. He kept repeating the sentence in his mind.

Greed watched as the Fullmetal Alchemist's eyes opened, glaring at him. The boy heaved himself forward with all his might. He struggled to his feet and wavered.

"Good," Greed smiled with his eyes. "Kids like you should be more lively."

Edward tried again. He hurled his automail fist up in an uppercut and caught Greed under the chin. The screws and parts Winry put so much care to enhance fell apart and scattered, leaving his fingers stringy. Greed chuckled at his determination, and grabbed his face. From there he threw the boy into the remaining crates that weren't destroyed yet, and they splintered under his weight. Blood spurted from Edward's mouth at contact.

"You can't beat me no matter how many times you try," Greed said simply. He walked to where Edward fell, and picked him up by the scruff of the neck. "You better spit out the secret of the soul."

Edward's breathing continued to come in slow gasps, but Greed could have sworn he said something under his breath. After a second, he spoke louder.

"Thanks man."

"Huh?"

"The blood in my head has lessened a little... I'm thinking more clearly now... My mechanic sure is incredible... It moves even in this condition..."

Edward rattled his pathetic-looking fingers. Alone, they had no strength within them to deal anymore damage, or at least try to. The fact that his arm could still move, however, was all that he cared about. He slammed his hands together and then pressed them against Greed's forearm. Lightning shot up and Greed let go, briefly startled by the feeling. Edward collapsed to the ground and Greed observed his arm, curious on what just happened. As far as he knew, nothing.

"Still resisting, huh?" he sighed. He flexed and held his fist up for attack. "Enough of this. Be obedient and go to sleep!"

* * *

I wanted to stop Malice from furthering her hand of slaughter, but I couldn't do anything. The soldiers were unlucky to face something so monstrous. I tried reaching for the Stone, but that defense she set up proved too tricky to breach. She didn't even notice me trying to get in, but that was probably because she currently had her focus all on one thing. I tried to think more deeply, but nothing else came up in mind... I was afraid that my words were empty, and I wouldn't be able to do anything for Edward...

Malice continued to make her way deeper through the catacomb-like hallways of The Devil's Nest. Everything seemed longer. So far, she didn't run into Pride yet, but she didn't see Roa, Dolcetto or Martel yet either. It was a situation Malice could not quite decide on what to do when it came to it, but something else was calling her forward right now. Her decisions now were simply instinct, and her instinct told her to destroy every living thing who meant them harm, and beat them to their destination.

She finally reached the hallway she inhabited for the majority of her stay. She far surpassed the soldiers; they hadn't reached this far yet, and she felt some relief. She heard them approaching however, which reminded her that there was no time to lose. At the end of this hallway was the room where she saw Greed last. Currently, the hallway seemed so vacant that speeding through it seemed surreal. She stopped when she saw the door, half-open, and Greed, full in the Ultimate Shield. At first she was just happy to see him; the relief she felt overwhelmed me, but I saw something before she did.

He held his side, which was vividly red and showed the twining of his muscles. Blood oozed over his hand before his body slowly regenerated the wound, and even then, it took another moment for his Shield to activate again. Malice took this in at last, and her relief diminished slowly. Who was he fighting? He was in the Ultimate Shield for a reason, and if he was being dealt heavy damage on, the opponent had to be a difficult kill...

"Greed?"

Greed turned to the door and saw her a few feet into the hallway. He straightened up his composure, looking as good as new. However, his former wounds were still burnt into her memory. "Sweetheart," he called back.

I had gone ahead of her to see who it was. My heart felt like it was going to wretch itself out. He wasn't supposed to come so soon. Malice misinterpreted, or ignored this. Only upset emotions billowed in her as she reached the door. "What the hell is this?"

She pushed the door aside fully and stepped inside. Her eyes searched out the intruder, and there he was. Edward Elric, having arrived much earlier than his awaited date. His eyes beheld her with disbelief, and he didn't think it was Malice at first. All he saw was a metallic humanoid... thing. Her voice sounded the same though, echoed as it was. She dismissed the Ore that confused him so, with a forbidden snarl lingering on her revealed mouth.

"You're not supposed to be here yet," she said coldly. Her eyes narrowed further. "And you brought the military with you. That's quite uncivil."

"So is abducting and holding people for ransom," Edward returned acidly. Malice bared her teeth. The soldiers were coming, and she was so close! She had expected to kill Edward at her own leisure, but now it seemed like her chance was spoiled...

"You have a lot of blood to spill, despite being so small. Didn't know you had it in you."

Edward's expression turned childishly murderous. I could've laughed —I remembered memories of his short-temper well—, but Malice's humour was a severe one. I was wishing with all my mind and soul that she would spare him. I had no power here.

"I didn't expect you to beat him up this badly," she told Greed. The other homunculus shrugged.

"He wouldn't spit out the secret of the soul. Tough little shit..."

"What did he do to you? I saw you; you were hurt."

"Alchemy tricks. He figured out how the Shield worked."

She didn't care on how Edward did it. "Are you okay?"

"Your concern flatters me."

Malice tried her hardest to keep a straight face, but her lips betrayed to a smile, though bitterly undone by the annoyance of another source. "We have to leave, immediately. The others have all fallen, and the military has a large extermination team, most of them waiting outside. And," she moved closer to him, and spoke under her breath. "I hear Pride is with them."

"Pride?" Greed repeated questioningly. "Haven't seen him in a while..."

All of this, Edward couldn't hear. He was angry as it was, being treated like he didn't exist in their breathed words. He bled almost profusely, and this was bad, considering he had just only recovered from the scandal in Korius. And as each moment passed by, Alphonse was getting further and further away, and Edward needed to get to him.

His time of recovery was enough. He focused his sights on Malice, and remembered all the pain and suffering she had caused the people around her, especially himself. Izumi had told him of the series of murders since he left, and he could only link the killings to her, with her constant need for sadistic deeds. What's more, he also saw the florist's wife walk by before he left for The Devil's Nest... the poor, poor woman.

To top it all off, he blamed what happened to me on her. He didn't believe me as a separate entity, but he wanted to imagine it like that. That she killed me. That made the hatred grow, and it gave him the will to attack, even though attacking Malice looked like attacking me.

My sin didn't expect him to lunge, but she wasn't surprised, either. Her arm morphed into the Ore and struck his attack away. His hands clapped together and he pressed his palm against her arm, where the sparks danced. He grimaced when his trick didn't work. He didn't know what the Ore was made of, whether in a pure form or an alloy. Malice considered the dying alchemy tiredly and then fixed her eyes on Edward.

Greed's fist spiraled around and landed in Edward's abdomen. It sent the boy backwards, arms pressed to his stomach and sprayed spit dotting the ground. Malice blinked at Greed's action, who straightened up again calmly and sighed. I watched Edward with a pleading look on my face, even though no one could see it now. Malice looked at Edward heaving, his eyes scrunched up a little but still glaring at her. Like always, to her, those golden orbs were just asking to be ripped out.

My relief soared. She had decided to run, and leave Edward behind. She wanted to kill Edward slowly, but there was simply no time. She reached up with her hand in a rigid motion and immediately pulled it down. The hatch in the roof's ventilation ripped itself free and crashed to the ground. Edward flinched at the impact a few meters away and wondered what she was planning. She turned to Greed and took his forearm, cold and firm.

"Come on, we have to go."

"But I thought this was what you wanted," he replied, signifying Edward. "He won't negotiate, so he's yours now."

"There's no time for my pleasures," she said regretfully, but her eyes darkened. "Besides, I still have Alphonse."

"If you dare even so much as—!" Edward shouted, suddenly leaping at her again. She rolled her eyes and her fingers clenched together in front of her, the metal limbs that gave Edward motion her targets. The joints locked, and Edward couldn't move them. He stumbled with a useless leg, close to falling forward. When he didn't, Malice placed her foot on his stomach and kicked him back, where he buckled.

"Sit down and enjoy the fire," she told him, walking past. She enveloped herself into the Ore again, for she heard that the soldiers had finally arrived in their hallway. They were running in fast. "I guess it pleases you at least a little that chimaeras have died because of you."

A look of hurt lingered in his eyes at the thought. Malice didn't see it, but I did. I realized that maybe it wasn't him that intended them to come at all. It may have just been a coincidence that they came at the same time he did, or someone must have stuck their nose into his business. All in all, I couldn't blame him for any deaths. He wanted to save lives, not end them.

"Until next time, Fullmetal Alchemist."

The soldiers burst into the room at last. They saw Edward, and refrained from directing their guns at him as others went in to retrieve him. They pointed their artillery at Malice and Greed, who acted quickly and jumped into the air duct up high, Greed leading the way. Malice threw a lasting glance at Edward, who regained control of his limbs but was acting wild. For another day, she wouldn't touch him.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_

Sorry for the delay these past weeks. I've only now been freed from school and exams. And for the first few days I've just been lazing about XD

Things are getting heavy. The next chapter's started, so rest assured, I'm not gonna randomly stop writing. Unless that's what you want, lol... in that case, I'd be wondering why you're still watching for new updates. XD In any case, expect some activity. If not fanfiction, art; I'm always working on something so come by and check out some art if you're interested. The URL is on my profile. :D

And I know that King Bradley is not Pride, at least not in the manga and Brotherhood anime. Please be patient with me, I've got things thought out but not written yet :)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I enjoyed writing it, although I felt like I was using the same words often. Critique? I'd love to hear what you guys are thinking. Also, it's a good self-esteem boost, haha. You don't have to say how good it is, just tell me your favourite parts, what ticks you off, and what you overall think of things. Okay? -heart- I like talking about it with people; also helps me with new ideas.

See you all later. Thanks for reading this far~

-Vixen


	26. Collapse

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's plots, ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own OCs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

_Warning: Some harsh language and explicit gore in this one._

* * *

Chapter 26

The sewers were the last place Malice had expected to run to, but it was a convenient place, she had to admit. At least for the time being.

Both she and Greed reverted back to their original bodies, and they ran further into the dim, dank-smelling passageways, the murky water spilling past and rats scattering before their feet. How everything fell apart had her mood darken, and she wasn't in any condition to joke around anymore.

Most of her allies were dead. The place that she finally called home was being cleansed, and she would never be able to return there again. Her one chance to end the bond between Edward and I slipped away. She was beginning to think that this was what Margaret had foretold. Her happiness would slip away, out of control, and Malice would fall. It was a unnerving thought that she tried to ignore.

"Where are we going Greed?"

He suddenly stopped at a fork in the sewers, with two different routes. He seemed intent on taking the path that went straight ahead, but the side one looked beckoning. Malice reacted quick enough to avoid colliding into Greed's backside, and she waited for him to answer her.

"It's been fun."

"What?"

He turned around and smirked at her. He looked out of character without his vest and shades, but that couldn't be dealt with now. Malice stared at him impatiently as he laughed and set a hand on her head, as if she was a small child.

"It's been swell, but it's time we split ways."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I don't need you anymore."

This came out nowhere, so much so that it had me with an incredulous look on my face. Malice was taking his words in carefully, analyzing them, before she let herself explode with some unexplained emotion. She looked unimpressed so far.

"Really."

"Really."

"You don't need me anymore," she repeated.

"That's right."

"That's not possible. You're Greed. It doesn't matter if you don't need me anymore—"

"Even if I'm Greed, I can always throw away a trifle and replace it with something better. No offense, but I'm done with you. Get out of here."

"Then why have you been...?"

"How else would I have been able to convince you to stay? Would you stay with a stranger, or a 'friend'? Go on, I said. Before things get ugly."

He ruffled the top of her head, as if the things he said weren't harsh at all. Malice couldn't believe this, and for a long moment, she actually had to. Greed never lied; he once swore to her that he had no reason to. The military on the surface and the fact that most of their allies were dead didn't seem real compared to this. For a second, I felt a deeper fear in her. Even with the thought that Pride was possibly here, a fear like the one she felt now never appeared, and it made me wonder if her fears weren't as simple as I thought they were.

He turned his back on her and started walking off, a hand up over his shoulder in a manner of goodbye. His retreating form scared her. But then, the fear stopped growing and quivered at a solitary level, tensed.

"Liar."

"Hm?"

"As if!" she shouted. Her arms were rigid and her closed fists shook. "You think I'm that gullible, do you?"

Greed stopped and had tilted his head to the side, but he didn't turn to her. From what I saw, he had an impassive look on his face. I didn't know what reasoning she had for a moment, but a shock of revelation washed over me.

This was exactly what _I_ did. Back in Korius. I tried to hurt Edward so that he would get away and abandon me, so that I could face Lust and Envy by myself. Edward had believed it because he loved me. Malice would've believed Greed, too. But she remembered from my actions, and tried to believe that Greed was trying the same trick. Not only did their time together and their general behaviour with one another make his charade so confusing and suddenly shallow, but it also made sense. He had told her to leave 'before things got ugly'.

"If this is you trying to be courteous with me, think again. If you think that _chasing me away will save me,_ think again. You're stuck with me, and we're going to live very long lives. Alright?"

Greed closed his eyes, with the same inscrutable look. Malice waited nervously, as if what she said was thrown out just as an experiment. With all her might she wanted to refuse to believe that he meant what he said.

At last, he chuckled, rubbing the back of his head like a kid caught misbehaving. His eyes opened and he smiled gently, turning around. Malice, although expecting him to give in, was a little startled by his softness.

"You're pretty sharp, Malice," he said to her. His eyes looked up and considered the mossy ceiling, dripping in certain places. "And pretty persistent in what you want. I really like that."

Malice's rigid arms didn't loosen. I realized that she had no idea on how to maintain such feelings and tokens of friendship. Speaking of it was just that; talk. To be truly friends, actions spoke louder than words. Was she _that _unprepared? She couldn't even speak. I realized that her eyes were a little glossy, staring past Greed to somewhere much farther. Greed laughed in a nervous yet musing way.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

My sin closed her eyes tightly, and as I looked I saw that her fists shook more. The fear was gone, so what else was she feeling...?

She ran at Greed, and at first he thought she intended to attack him. He took a step back, but she only propelled herself into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. His hands were up and unable to decide what to do for a few moments, but then he responded and met with her embrace, resting his chin on her head and his hands on her spine.

I didn't quite know how to take this scene in. Was I to turn away in scorn, or feel happy? Greed holding my sin was an endearing event, one that reminded me of Edward and myself.

"Don't scare me like that again, you hear me...?" She continued to tremble slightly, with her cheek against his chest. His chin still nestled on her crown, and his fingers ran through her hair. It was somewhat soothing. He smiled, and whispered tenderly.

"Sorry, Malice."

"You're not leaving me?"

"No."

"And you're not pretending to be my friend?"

"_Hell _no."

Malice smiled at the responses of her childish questions. She pushed herself away from him, with her right hand still remaining on his chest as they exchanged knowing glances. He reached up with his left hand to take it, giving it a brief squeeze and baring his teeth in a wide grin.

"Come on. Let's go, sweetheart."

She nodded at him with a grin of her own. He twisted up their hands so that they met palm to palm, and they intertwined fingers. It may had just been something imagined, but it felt to her as if she could feel Greed's soul, pulsing from his Ouroboros. To her, this seemed like the ultimate show of their affection.

They continued as if that little stop didn't hinder their trek through the grime. I followed silently, unable to quite conclude on things. Could it really be possible to be bad and good at the same time...? Could evil people love, or was it a poor excuse, a fake delusion they wished was true affection?

Soon, I heard voices up ahead. It was Alphonse and Martel I realized, and I had to let out a breath of relief that they were here, safe from what was happening on the surface. I still had to dread, however, when the time came where Malice decided to kill Alphonse. I knew now wasn't the time, because escape was their top priority, but with how things were looking, Alphonse was still a prisoner to them.

"Mr. Greed! Malice!" Martel called once she heard the footsteps. She tipped back Alphonse's helmet so that she could see into the sewers clearly.

"Martel and Armour Boy are both safe, huh?"

"It was getting dangerous up there so... Roa left us here before going back up."

"Yeah, it's quite a troublesome situation here. Let's plan our escape."

Malice had listened calmly as Greed and his underling exchanged a few words, but a different voice other than their own struck her nerves up on end. Her eyes widened and her pupils contracted.

"I can't allow that."

Greed turned around at the same time my sin did, but his reaction was more slothful than tense. He didn't know who stood down the path of the sewers, who was armed with two straight-edged swords in hand, and an additional four on his back. But both Malice and I did. Seeing him there reminded me of the horror of finding him at the medical clinic, which felt so long ago. Malice couldn't say anything. Pride didn't look over to her, as if she wasn't even there. His eye was crinkled civilly, so nothing betrayed his true self.

"Who is that?" Greed said aloud. Malice's mouth opened to respond, but it was as if her vocal chords were severed, and she wasn't provided with the right amount of air. He had noticed her terrified stupor, and he had a questioning look in his eyes.

"King Bradley! Why are you here?" Alphonse blurted out in surprise. Martel also voiced her surprise. This simply answered a question that Malice herself could not give, but it wasn't complete.

Greed gave Pride a bored look, his eyes drooped to add to this effect. "What is the most powerful man in this nation doing here?"

Pride took his time before he asked his next question. During this time, Malice had not relaxed one bit. She was struggling to gain her voice back, she was so frozen with fear. She could no longer deny that she felt fear. I felt the chill of it overflowing from her being.

Pride asked something ludicrous in this situation, but I knew. It was a trap. He had the kindest look on his face, but I saw through it.

"How old are you?"

Greed drew a blank. "Huh?"

"I'm turing sixty this year. The body doesn't move as well as one ages. I want to get this kind of work over with so I can go home." Here, Pride approached, and it was something Malice couldn't take. She reached for Greed's wrist and pulled him back with her. She realized, however, that backing up would result in being sandwiched between Pride and Alphonse (with Martel still inside). That scenario would endanger Greed and herself anyway. But if she removed Greed and herself from there, would Martel not be in danger as well?

"What's with you?" Greed asked her directly, not at all aware of what she was dreading.

"That's Pride," Malice hissed, without taking her eyes off of the approaching peril. "We have to get out of here—"

"Pride?" he said. His voice was still too low for the others behind them to hear. He took another look at the middle-aged man in front of him. "...no. That's not Pride."

It was Malice's turn to question. "What are you playing at? That's not...?"

"The Pride I know is a measly little kid," he threw out that piece of information as if it was a trifle. Both my sin and myself were stunned. Because of this, Greed slipped out of Malice's grip easily and walked up to meet the Führer. His hand rose and he called the Shield to do his bidding. Malice came to her senses, and regardless of who stood before them, he was still powerful and wanted them dead.

"Retire or something, old man—"

"_GET AWAY FROM HIM, GREED!_"

Right when Malice screamed that out, Bradley's blade flashed hardly seen, and the next thing they knew, something dropped into the sewage water beside them. Malice looked and caught the glimpse of clawed fingers, and she retraced back to Greed's now-handless arm. The King had struck before the Shield could continue its work. Greed looked at his arm in mild confusion, as if he didn't understand the situation.

The Stone within Malice drummed loud once... then twice...

"Hey now, what kind of old man are you?"

The Führer proceeded to rush at Greed, slashing forward with the swords at hand. Greed had no choice but to retreat backwards, away from Malice and the others, and he ultimately could not dodge everything the other dealt him. Malice stood in horror, her body not responding how she wanted it to. Greed's leg was stabbed into to refrain him from getting any farther, his other arm was dismembered, and the other sword pierced him through the head. Without further ado, Bradley kicked him cleanly through the brick wall into the next tunnel. Malice could hardly see any of this; it happened so fast, and if she caught a glimpse of it, she wondered if it actually happened.

Although I felt the panic in her, I also felt the resolve. She looked over to Alphonse still bound by chains, and went up to him, crouching down to level with his face. He seemed wary of this but she wasn't looking at him directly.

"You stay here with Alphonse, Martel. And don't come out," she told her. Her mouth was a diagonal line as she thought of her next words. "I know that I'm not your superior, but Greed would want the same thing."

"Malice—?"

It was now that Malice's eyes connected with the orbs of the armour. She had no time to jeer at him. "And you," she whispered lowly, "I want you to look after her. Not for me. This is about her, you understand? Don't let her out of there."

Martel shouted louder through the armour and Alphonse looked at her in wonder, but Malice had already went to follow the battle. She got to the wall most recently caved in, but didn't enter the area. She listened in on what the one she once knew as Pride was saying in their secluded conversation.

"...how can a person like myself survive battlefields full of flying bullets and shells and rise the ranks?"

She saw his eyepatch discarded in the river filth, and it clicked in.

"Just as you have the Ultimate Shield, I have the Ultimate Eye."

I remembered. He was able to see everything in the midst of it happening, and therefore act before it met its mark. I admitted that Malice was smart to refrain from attacking...

Greed pinned with two swords in his throat wasn't helping Malice's nerves, though. Could Bradley see her right now? Did he assume she was too frightened to interfere?

Metal pipes lined the ceiling. They called to my sin sweetly. She raised her arm slowly, and she felt each bolted tubing respond to her, one at a time.

"Well now, Greed... how many more times do I have to kill you before you die?"

As he went to deal more pain and death to her friend, Malice pulled down her arm and felt the rip in the tunnel. The pipes cried out and unhatched from their bounds, spilling a mixture of sewage, water, and heated air, and so the steam rose thickly. Some piping had hit the King, but hardly critical damage. His swords left Greed to slash down the bigger debris raining down, and direct the pipes in other paths. She leaped into the mist, her arms transforming into the Ore, seeing his bare back exposed, but then she saw Greed's fallen form, weakened and exposed as well, and found herself a different mission. Her form disappeared from my view, leaving me blind, with only the tug of our spiritual bond as my guide.

When the steam cleared, I beheld the scene in horror-struck awe. Malice and Bradley were caught in a still parry of sorts. She had caught one of the open swords at its base, which proved to be an awesome feat. The other, however, hooked from under her ribcage and ran her through. Blood gushed from within and toiled in her mouth, which she could only direct out of the corners of her mouth. She had kicked Greed away from them, and now she was the one pinned to the wall, an empty space between her feet and the ground. The steam cleared further and the Führer's eyes pierced us.

"It's good to see you again, Malice," he said. "We had thought you fled to the south, but it's beneficial that you're here. I can bring you both home. Father's been waiting very patiently for his prodigal children."

"Why didn't he get off his lazy ass and get me himself, I wonder?" Malice ventured acidly, and the sword inside her twisted in place. More blood seeped by her lips. Greed started to gain his senses again and he realized what Malice had done, but he was still stunned from action. Bradley disregarded her remark and continued.

"From what I've heard, you were able to fracture Lust's Ultimate Lance, and fought off Envy with little effort in his primary form. That's pretty impressive for a young homunculus such as yourself. And let me see..."

He started to push the sword Malice had a grip on, and with each inch, it grew closer and closer to piercing through her eye. She grimaced, bloody teeth bared, as she tried to fend him off with strength alone. Suddenly, she realized the singing of the metal, and wondered why she didn't hear it sooner, it being so close to her face. With her other hand, she grabbed the blade of the sword that ran her through, to prevent him from getting away. He looked as if he expected this...

The other sword slithered to Malice's command, and it curved to bite Bradley's Ultimate Eye. He immediately let go of both swords and reached for two more, unsheathing them in a mere breath. The moment Malice's feet touched the ground he unleashed a flurry of attacks. Malice had "unsheathed" the sword in her belly and used it to try and deflect them, while her regeneration hindered her slightly. She managed to keep the serious strikes at bay, with only a few minor attacks slicing up the surface of her skin and ricochetting off where the Ore was already plated. She had dropped the serpentine sword she used, which simply succumbed to a twisted slab of a blade.

"You can also last this long against me without any fatalities, with the exception of our reunion," Bradley mused as he battered Malice's defense. The relentless attack prevented her from covering herself completely in the Ore. "Well done. You turned out to be a powerful homunculus, one that rivals the rest of us. But..."

The King punched against Malice's hand holding the sword, and in such a way that through reaction her fingers sprawled wide, dropping her weapon. In the very next second, Malice's right eye was gouged in by his own weapon, and she cried out in rage and pain. She leered at him with her spared eye as he glared back.

"You're too foolish a child to realize what's holding your true potential back. That accursed human side and its emotional influence you seem to cling onto is your weakness!"

"Fuck off!" Malice roared. She attempted to kick Bradley away from her, but he easily evaded her push and stabbed her shoulder in place. Her eye socket continued to gush blood, looking like angry blood tears.

"You've felt this affection humans have for each other, haven't you?" he jibed. "I saw that little exchange you had with Greed. It was a touching, innocent exchange, but that shows weakness in a war machine such as yourself. First the Fullmetal Alchemist, now the Ultimate Shield? Are you some sort of whore? It's foolishness!"

"Fuck—OFF!"

Another set of pipes exploded due to Malice's anger. The steam rose again, but with Malice in his grasp, Bradley wasn't fazed. She tried to seize the sword that lanced through her skull but his other sword simply removed itself from her shoulder and spiked through her wrist, severing a vital vein and unleashing tendrils of more blood. Watching her bleed was like watching myself, and I couldn't stomach it, regardless if I had no physical stomach to begin with. Through the spiritual tug between her and I, I felt the unstable traumas my body was withstanding; the trouble of dying more than once.

"I'll just have to kill again and again until you cooperate, won't I?"

Malice was about to respond when her mind suddenly flashed white, blocking her vision. All I saw was her remaining eye gaped vastly, and I could hardly see if her pupil still remained. She didn't respond with any movement, so Bradley commenced her series of deaths. Since I couldn't do anything as I was, I went to investigate what happened to her mentally. I, too, entered the blinding white, much more harsh than the space I resided in for the majority of Malice's revival. The children came up to greet me out of nowhere, and each had troubled looks on their expressions.

"That woman's here," Cid said distastefully. I stared at him questioningly. Woman? He met my gaze and pointed to me.

"She kept in contact with you at the beginning."

My memory took its time in registering who that was, and soon it made sense.

"Dante?"

I looked to the distance, looking for a section of black, but found none. If Malice was being unresponsive in the real world, it meant something was happening inside, but I couldn't see her. However, I saw something else, and felt a good deal of power in the distance. How I was able to distinguish this power, I wasn't sure, but I set out for it regardless.

_Obey, Malice. We can't afford to kill you._

"I—obey—no—one," were the strangled words escaping by Malice's lips as Bradley impaled her heart with the sword she distorted. She shouted out but my body wouldn't do what she told it. The chaos of the sewers continued to rain down and cloud the tunnel.

_Why are you making this more difficult than it needs to be? Do you think you have rights?_

"Bitch! Get out— of my— head!"

_Father is waiting!_

"FFFFF—"

I found the source of it, and I didn't expect Dante to have a form here, and such an aged one at that. Within her hands she held a dark orb, which continued to convulse against her, trying to break free. I grasped the meaning of this, and comprehended that Malice was being suppressed, and that in turn stopped her from using my body. I wasn't sure why Dante was an old woman, but I knew that it was her.

She looked at me, her eyes darkening. "Who are you?"

"I am the first Malice," I told her just as coldly. Her eyes opened further, as if this was an unheard idea. Frankly, it was. "You and I spoke before. The one you're trying to control is what Father helped revive, the entity of Malice as a sin. My name is Urami."

"So you truly adopted that ridiculous name I gave you?" She chuckled, like a true old woman. "You've changed from the first time we've met."

"All for the better," I returned. I watched her threateningly. "You're making a big mistake."

"Am I now? Malice is completely powerless here. Soon her Philosopher's Stone will run out of its juice, for every time she dies, she weakens."

The idea was very simple, and I believed it to be more true with every second that passed by. In this scenario, however, I saw a bright hope that evaded Dante's attempt of taking control.

"You've opened up a gateway for me."

She stared at me in shock. In the direness of things, I could actually smile for a brief second.

"You can't control the both of us."

With Malice imprisoned as she was, my body was hardly being controlled over. My sin's connection was weak, and I knew I would be able to overpower her, at least for a few moments. And I was right to believe Dante couldn't contain me at the same time. If she tried to, Malice would break free and regain her senses. I didn't care what Dante chose to do, to contain Malice or myself, but to be able to feel myself in my own skin was nostalgic. Malice didn't have a chance to even perceive what I did.

Bradley continued to kill me, however, and it was an appropriate wake-up call. It reminded me that I couldn't simply sit and enjoy my freedom, that I had to fight for my life. He sensed no difference in front of him, and that was fine. I struggled against him, dodged what I could and withstood what pierced me. A fear that I suspected to appear, _didn't_, for I knew I wasn't human enough to fear fatal wounds and death.

The steam around us clouded even more thickly, and at last, Greed recovered fully. Everything that happened, though so much, happened very fast. In his stupor, trying to rejuvenate his body and his sense, he had heard Malice's screams, and caught the scent of her spilling blood. He still thought it was Malice fighting now, when it was really myself. He got to his feet and attacked Bradley, claws outstretched. The King retreated to attack him instead, but Greed wasn't ready to fight yet. He collected my body in his arms and fled quickly, down the hall where pipes continued to burst under pressure. He knew he could never outrun the homunculus, but right now there were more important matters.

He set me down in a darkened channel a few more tunnels away from where they struggled against the Führer. Bradley still had his swords with him, and now hunted for us. My body was sluggish to my call, from both the multiple deaths and the fact I felt alien and unused to my body.

"Malice, you idiot," Greed told me, looking me from top to bottom. He didn't like what he saw. "That was stupid of you. Running in and getting this beat up, just for me. What the hell was that going to do? Huh?"

"...if I didn't do anything, you'd still be back there," I wheezed. If I didn't say anything, he'd suspect something was wrong. "I couldn't just stand by."

"I should've mentioned to you that bravery and stupidity are closely linked," he sighed, displeased. "And now you're not talking like you usually do. Jeez."

He pulled the distorted sword carefully from my chest, and I groaned as my wound tried to sew itself closed. I noticed how much more slowly it did so, now that my body was weaker. Greed set the weapon aside and observed me once more. I happened to look up at his eyes to catch the pain in them, and Edward immediately came to mind. My breath hitched at the inner pain that took hold of my core.

If memories could create this much pain, then they were more than just data or records of the past.

He had taken my face in his hands and rested his forehead against the top of my hair. "You're going to run, understand?"

"Alone? What the hell was what I just did for, then? You're coming with me!"

"You gave me a chance, Malice. I'm really grateful you did that, but you shouldn't have. Now look at you. I've still got a chance of beating him."

"He's too fast for you. We should just run, together—"

"We'll see. And he has the Ultimate Eye. He'd know where we were previously and just follow us. We'd never get away otherwise."

Truthfully, I had no obligation to care if Greed was going to be alright, but I found myself caring. No matter how much I hated Malice, I couldn't hurt her back. I couldn't have her lose someone she loved, like I did.

"Greed..."

"When I'm done, I'll come find you, okay?" His grip on me tightened. Malice was supposed to be the one in this situation, not me, but I wasn't going to let go of my control again. His lips widened ruefully. "I promise."

He picked me up again and set me on my feet. I protested against him going back. He slipped through my Ore-rusted fingers.

"Martel is back there, and my other subordinates. I have to go back. And you... you will do me a lot of good staying away and safe. It would ease my soul, if I had one," he joked, keeping that caring look on his face. He reached for my right hand with his left and gave it one last squeeze. "As your master and friend, I order you to run. I'll come and find you, because I've told you a million times; I don't _ever_ abandon my possessions. I won't forget."

There was nothing I could really say. I bit my lip, considering his determined expression, and decided something that wasn't my decision. I gave in, and nodded.

"You better not."

He flashed me his traditional grin and turned his back on me. He disappeared again and went to meet Bradley once more.

As for me, I had to follow his order, rather reluctantly. At first, I kept tripping and needed the support of the wall to make my escape, but the fact that I was the one moving motivated me further to continue on. I promised myself that I would see the light of day with this body of mine. It was a childish, shallow promise.

I made it quite far, blindly, until Malice charged at me from within. Dante had disappeared from our mind, and the orb that was imprisoned unfurled itself, leaving Malice's true form disoriented. When my sin came around, she was enraged and distraught.

My body crashed to the ground heavily as she stole my body from me once again. She choked in the air as if she was submerged in deep water for hours and only now surfaced.

"What... the hell..." she gasped in distress. She twitched her fingers to make sure she was commanding it. That didn't seem to reassure her of things. "W-What..."

_Malice,_ I tried to speak with her rationally, but the tears in the corners of her eyes stopped me.

"Where's Greed? Where is he—? Why—?"

_He told me to run, and that he'll come for me. But that was all meant for you, you know..._

"_But you actually believed him?"_ she shrieked, and I was worried she did it so strongly that blood settled at the back of her throat. The stubborn tears that refused to fall were more prominent, and it pained me to see them. She struggled to her feet, her limbs feeling like they were on marionette strings. "I've got to get back to that prick and—"

_And what?_ I asked her solemnly. She had settled to a crouch to steady her mind and feelings. She panted in momentum, trying to gain her breath back, and overall trying to calm herself. I stood by in my ghost form once more. _...this is it._

"What's _this?_"

_Your so-called happiness... everything went smoothly for you until this moment. How things end is inevitable now._

"Is _that __so__?" _Malice emphasized bitterly. "What Margaret so foretold? Do you think I'm going to let faith decide that for me? You take me for a fool? I'm going to take your advice!"

_My advice?_ I repeated cluelessly. _I don't remember..._

"I'm going to make a difference. No matter what destiny's signed me up for, I can always change it." Her eyes searched me out, and I gazed in awe at how powerful her violet eyes shone, with the unshed tears drying away, unused. She came so close to feeling true despair, but she rejected it.

"If destiny's decided that Greed's to die, then I'm going to find it and kick its ass. I'm going to do everything I can to change it. I may be too weak to fight," —Malice's palm closed into a fist against the ground, grazing it with her nails in the process— "but I will do whatever I can to save my friend. Then I'll show him what he should really be afraid of!"

She got to her feet and shot back the way I came from, and I followed her closely, marveling at her perseverance.

She followed the scent and sounds. She remembered the chaos she caused in the tunnel, and so ammonia and other gases left behind their distinguishing smells. Also, the aftermath of the spill of water flowed rapidly in some paths more than others, so she followed that. Lastly, she caught the weak smell of blood.

She knew she arrived when she heard the clashing of battle, but it was the end. She froze where she was, in the darkness, and at the end of her tunnel, she saw Greed fall. It took everything in her mortal being to stop herself from advancing. He had been stabbed by four swords... and he didn't get up again after that. So he lied... he wouldn't have been able to win, and return back to her. Bradley was just too much of an opponent to handle, but at least he tried. She neared the mouth the alley, but kept silent, for the Führer overlooked the fallen homunculus with distaste.

"Lie down there for a moment."

When Bradley left to approach Alphonse, who was regrettably nearby, Malice caught of a more modest movement in the tunnel that lead further away, like a continuity of her own space. It wasn't a rat. Looking forward, she saw who it was and cursed. Malice looked around the corner to make sure Bradley was distracted, but the sight of the other bodies strewn about in the water hit her across the face. She leapt across the gap and descended on Bido before he could make a sound. He had pressed her hand to his mouth just in case, and when he knew it was her, she pulled it away.

"What the hell are you doing here, Bido? This place is dangerous! You should have stayed on the surface, in the shadows," she hissed quickly. She slightly felt remorseful when she saw how pained his eyes were.

"Roa, Dolcetto... " he whispered. He looked to the side. "Mr. Greed..."

"He's not dead," she said quickly, and swallowed hard to keep the fate of the first two out of her mind. "We have a chance to save him. I'll pick him up, and we'll run, you understand me? I don't know my way in these tunnels, so you'll lead the way."

It was now that Martel was screaming her revenge. I was watching in horror while Malice and Bido stayed very still. Using Alphonse to get to the King, she grabbed his throat and lifted him in the air. Alphonse was trying his very best to stop Martel, to save her... but the Führer's sword slid under Alphonse's helmet and killed her. Her blood escaped through the crevices of the brother's armour.

"Let's move," Malice breathed. The only thing that betrayed her strength was the glaze that blanketed over her eyes. She jumped out the tunnel and landed right beside Greed, who's eyes were dulled and without reaction. Landing in the water made splashes, but that she couldn't help, so without taking any chances she took out the swords, two at a time and threw them away. She sensed that Bradley noticed her, but right now he seemed intent on focussing on Alphonse, who seemed to be in some sort of serious shock. Malice grabbed Greed's forearm so he sat up unsteadily, tucked her head under his arm, and with the her other hand grasped the inside of his closest thigh. She shifted his weight all at once onto her shoulders, and she stumbled. Muscle massed more than fat or simple flesh, and Greed was _all _muscle... but she was determined to get away. Besides, if she were fully human, she wouldn't have been able to run with him as she did.

She signaled to Bido to start running, and she jumped into the tunnel when he was at the end of it. She had to run sideways through that narrow space to spare Greed's head from hitting the wall. From there on, it was all exiting tunnels and entering the next, going for a long time.

They were far from their starting point when Malice suddenly felt a pain shoot through her chest, burning like white-hot blacksmith swords. She gasped in air she couldn't breath and crashed to the ground. Greed rolled off her shoulders and landed not far from her. Bido turned around and went to her side immediately. She was clutching her chest and trying to breathe, with little success. Her face twisted in deep pain every few seconds.

"Miss Malice—!" He fretted, watching Malice's shoulders heave. "What's the matter?"

"Something's... wrong... my... Stone...is... I can't... move... can't get to... my feet..."

"You're pushing yourself too hard... come on, let me help you!"

"But Greed..."

Bido's face tore in indecision. He was given the choice of either saving Greed or Malice, because he wasn't able to carry them both. His hands had grasped her shoulders desperately, and he was looking around the place as if something useful would pop up. He was disturbed to hear my sin laugh softly, and he looked back at her.

"Go, Bido."

"What? Miss Malice, you—?"

"This is where I have to stop. I really tried, but... I tried..." she raised her hands up shakily and pushed him away. His hands still strayed by. "You wouldn't be able... to carry Greed... and I'd never let you... carry me away from him. Go on without us. Save yourself."

Tears sprung up in his eyes. "M-Malice..."

"You, live," she commanded him, and she took one of his straying hands in hers. She gripped it tightly in farewell, and her mouth smiled crookedly. "If there ever was a more goofy but reliable friend, it would be you. I'm very glad I met you. You really deserve some salvation.

"Now, go!"

Her voice urged him, and reluctantly, he closed his eyes tightly like a child in a world of darkness and fear, and he fled. She watched him until he disappeared, and could only smile softly as her Stone convulsed painfully.

_How... noble of you_, was all I could say. I wasn't sure if I meant to compliment or mock her with sarcasm. I had no idea how to respond to her now.

She had turned her attention to Greed, and she proceeded in dragging her body over to him. "I guess... I didn't try hard enough..." she sighed in discomfort. She made it to his side, her knees locked and folded and her body hunched over. She took her time to recover her breath, then looked at Greed. She smiled regrettably. "Sorry... Greed... I screwed up..."

I stayed nearby, but I wish I hadn't. The sorrow was deep, and I felt like I didn't belong while this was going on. Malice looked unbelievably fragile, ragged, and I saw her so differently. She was lowering her body to the ground on her side, but keeping her upper body supported by her one forearm to cover Greed's head in a protective canopy. Her other hand had pathetically moved and placed itself on his collarbone, more closely to his heart. Malice's eyes closed slowly.

"At least you're not going alone."

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _Shit, sir.

Well, although Edward's nowhere to be seen, maybe the gore and action make up for that little problem...

I know you might be confused as to what the hell I did, but that's just me trying to tie up loose ends. If you have any questions, ask them, and I'll try my best to clear that up for you in the next chapter. Dante's pretty much still here because I had her in the beginning, and now that I'm merging with the manga more, she'll need to be dealt with. And Pride is now Wrath, because the real Pride plays an important role later in the future...

I was worried that I wouldn't have been able to describe how Malice carried Greed. It's like, Step One of the Fireman Takedown, but instead of crushing your opponent on their head you carry them like a fireman. I learned some useful things at my martial arts club, before things got a little screwy... If you doubt that Malice could carry him, I'm 5 foot something and I could carry grown men for a while through exercise. As I've said, a normal girl would have a hard time running (I certainly would), but Malice being a homunculus lets me cheat, lol

This chapter kind of reawakened my first memory of FMA. It was the first anime, and I had just turned on the TV and saw an episode of an anime I've never heard of. It was the part where Martel found out that the Führer was a homunculus, and she ran back to hide in Alphonse. Then all of the sudden — I never expected it —, Bradley comes up and slides the sword under Alphonse's armour... and watching the animators scroll down slowly to Alphonse's belly, to show all the blood, was a very powerful thing to behold. That's probably what made me so interested, and I was glad that YTV started rerunning it, when it was an actually reliable channel. XD

Anyway, that's my story. I hope you enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for those who reviewed last time; I really do appreciate all your words, so this is dedicated to you! -heart-

See you later!

-Vixen

P.S. Throughout this whole chapter I was listening to Lacuna Coil's _In Visible Light_. You could say that it's this chapter's theme song. You can always bring up Youtube and listen to the song while you read, but that's your choice. XD


	27. Altered

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 27

"Welcome back, my Führer. How was the inspection of the south?"

"It turned out to be pretty significant. The Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother... maybe even their master may serve useful as sacrifices. And lastly... some unexpected fortunes."

"How nostalgic."

Greed had heard voices, but he was still in the clutches of unconsciousness to be fully awake. He felt his arms suspended... no, his whole body suspended into the air, due to the pressure of gravity he felt on his body. The blades of the swords he last felt were still there... were they paralysing him, preventing him from breaking free? He had no idea, but...

"Wake up, Greed."

He opened his eyes at last, and took in his new surroundings. And truthfully, nothing had changed much since the century before. Perhaps a few new coils of fuel and electricity channels ran through, but the place still looked dank and foreboding as it usually did. As he had deduced blindly, he really was suspended in the air on a slab of stone, arms bound by chains. He looked down to take in the individuals present.

"Oh my," he said, eyes creasing pleasantly. "Everyone's here."

"Serves you right, Ultimate Shield," Lust smiled scornfully. Greed grinned.

"You're as hot as ever, Ultimate Lance... Gluttony, you haven't slimmed down at all. Envy... still dressed up with that weird fashion sense. Where's my lazy Sloth?"

"I assume you mean the first one," Lust replied. "He's as lazy as before, but he's still working."

"Really, no one's changed at all during the past century," he laughed. "If you say there's been a second one created, where are they? ...Well, better yet, who's this guy?"

He looked straight down at the Führer who stood a little further than directly below him, with his back facing Greed. His arms were folded behind his back and he was standing straight at attention. He was now in his complete military uniform. Instead of Lust answering Greed's question, Bradley took the liberty.

"Wrath."

"After we locked you up," Lust began, "he became a new brother of ours, created by Father sixty years ago. He fills in the role of the human named—"

" 'King Bradley'. Known for numerous battlefield glory, and rising up to be a dictator at the age of forty..." Greed looked down at Wrath slothfully. "Sweetheart had the right idea, that you were a homunculus. She was under the impression you were called Pride, though."

"Things have changed," Wrath responded. "I was seen better suited for a different name. And the former candidate for such a role proved too weak."

"That's all good and well, but why are you so old, gramps?"

"Wrath wasn't born from Father, but _created_," Lust emphasized. "To serve the last purpose as the human, King Bradley. The con is he has no rapid regeneration capacity like us, but he ages, perfect to trick all of Amestris."

"A homunculus that ages..." Greed breathed. "Is there such a thing?"

"Coming from the person who believes there's 'no such thing as no such thing'," Envy laughed. He aimed to irritate Greed, but he completely overlooked it. After looking through his former brothers and sister, he simply sighed musingly. The smile on his face wasn't quite what they had expected from someone caught in a dangerous place, recently broken free from his prison only to be brought back at last. It was a smile they didn't take comfort in, despite its harmless nature.

"Who's this 'sweetheart' you referred to before?" Envy said darkly. His face twisted contemptuously when Greed's smile faltered. "Malice? Are you senile?"

"I'm pretty sure I'm thinking rather clearly. Yeah, I meant Malice..." Greed closed his eyes and shrugged, a small smile on his lips. "I wonder where she's gone now..."

"Hah! You know, she'd be anywhere but here if she wasn't lying beside you when we found you!"

The bound homunculus' nostrils flared and his eyes snapped open. The smile was swiped clean off.

"Oh, not so cocky now, are we?" Envy sneered. He turned around and approached a place Greed's perception couldn't reach, and then he turned sharply to throw a moderately-heavy load. That turned out to be Malice's body, unconscious. Her body crashed down, useless and sprawled on the ground below and in front of him. His pupils shrunk slightly.

"Malice, wake up."

No response. He knew not to repeat it a second time, so he looked at Envy, Lust, Wrath. "What do you plan to do with her?"

"Same thing we're going to do to you," Envy sniffed indifferently, though a smug smile brought him a mischievous look. "She's defective. And whatever's defective to us, we don't need."

"I told her to _run_..."

"Well then, she was too stupid to take your advice. It's no surprise, since—"

"Shut the hell up, you ugly bitch."

Envy was silenced momentarily, glaring murderously up at Greed. Greed found this opportunity to exact some retribution. He had fired up at Envy's insult, even though it wasn't even directed at himself. No one was going to speak ill of his Malice. He laughed loudly at the green-haired boy who leered up at him.

"Aw man, those eyes! Those are the eyes! That's more like it! Lemme see your true self, Monster Envy!"

"You piece of shit. _**I'll crush you**__._"

"I won't have my children fight amongst each other in front of me."

Greed looked to the source of the voice, and at first, he couldn't quite distinguish what had spoken, for it was simply a pile of complicatedly-intertwined cords of power. He began to orient himself when he saw the amount of scientific flasks and instruments at a table, and a book peaking from the other side of the mound. Hands were holding that book open, and at last the homunculus took in the man's visage, turned away as it was.

"...Yo Father, sir," Greed grinned nastily. "You're here. You aged quite a bit while I was gone. Having fun with your chemistry set?"

The one called Father disregarded everything Greed had said. "My son of which I share my soul. Let me ask you one thing. Why did you betray me? Why did I have to condemn you underground?"

"Shouldn't Father be the one who understands that the most?" Greed's eyes closed and his lips curved suavely. Turning up his Ouroboros, he continued. "Dante knows, doesn't she? Where is she? My reason's very straightforward; being greedy as I am, I'd never be satisfied, simply staying by your side. I don't care about anything as long as I get what I want."

"I understand the simplicity of your reasoning."

"That's pretty swell, old man—"

"I wish _her_ reasoning was so simple."

Greed halted with anything he had planned to say. He looked back down at Malice, who hadn't moved an inch of where she had fallen, which looked uncomfortable. She had no feeling her limbs, and looked as if her soul was somewhere else. By Father's words, Greed suddenly became very wary of her fate.

"She really does have unbelievable potential," Father continued, and Greed could see Envy was trying his utmost best to remain silent. "but something is corrupt. Her soul will need to be cleansed, but I'm undecided on how to do so. I freed her from her humanity, but she still seemed persistent in holding on to it. I have no understanding of it."

Greed gazed at Malice's face. Frozen, it was a neutral sereneness. He tried to see things through her eyes, and understood what Father could not. It was because he felt the same way, with her. The bond they had could only grow healthily with the positive traits of a human. He didn't need to latch onto his humanity because of his nature; being avaricious, getting attached to something was easy. The only difference in this case was that it was a deeper attachment than he comprehended at first, and it just felt right.

As for Malice, naturally, she had no way of harnessing feelings with her sin alone. She must of felt the desolation of being an empty homunculus with only sadistic cravings, and upon the presence of human influence, reached out for it. It was a lot harder for her, he realized. It was like describing a feather as heavy, or sickness as healthy. It tore her apart, for her sin and emotions rejected each other.

"To make things more interesting," Father proceeded, cutting Greed's train of thought. "I've decided to let _you _choose."

"What are you going on about, pops?"

"Well, your life for hers, of course. One of you must die, while the other lives. The two of you can never live together."

That hit home.

"Would you rather work for me, and have Malice die, or have her live and serve me, leaving you a sacrifice?"

Greed said nothing, having closed his eyes. In all honesty, going back to serve the original Homunculus was the last thing he wanted, and he would rather die. If he did that, though, he'd only condemn Malice into Father's hands. But he was certain that seeing Malice die would haunt him for the rest of his eternal life. A life without her wasn't a life he wanted to live. Father repeated with more emphasis.

"Will you work for me again?"

Greed wasted no time in answering. He chuckled, then told his father, straight-faced.

"No."

Gears churned down below him, and when he looked down, the circular space commenced splitting itself in two. Steam wafted up and a heat wave crawled over his flesh.

"I see," Father sighed. The walls of the hot water pit rose up, bringing the water closer, and Greed began to descend closer to it. He swallowed the saliva that had settled at the bottom of his mouth, smiling. He took a look at Malice once more, and found himself half-wishing she'd open her eyes, just for him to look one last time. Then again, he didn't want her to watch him...

"You've really got bad taste..."

Greed's feet submerged into the boiling mass of water and he howled. He could feel himself breaking apart, melting down, and it hurt like hell. In no time at all, however, he started howling with laughter.

"_The temperature's just right, assholes! But I bet hell's fires aren't as tepid as this! I'm going on ahead to take a look, my brothers, then I'll let you know!"_

"Come back to where you belong," Father's hand rose, fingers rigid. "Come back to my soul, Greed."

"_Fine by me!" _Greed roared. _"I don't care if you get a stomach ache!_

"_**And you better keep your fucking word!**__"_

Greed's laughter rang loudly as he dissolved, red electricity flying out into the air and lighting the walls more crimson. Soon, his laughter ceased and he no longer existed in a physical form. In front of Father, the Philosopher Stone of Greed harvested itself in the wine glass he set up, looking similar to blood. Once collected fully, Father took it up in his hands and held it up, like a toast. All of the homunculi went to join him, save for Malice's downed form.

"Looking forward to the coming days, I pray for your unwavering loyalty and mutual good will."

And so the prodigal son returned to his father.

* * *

Everything seemed eerily quiet when Malice regained her senses. A soreness travelled uncomfortably through her limbs and she readjusted herself, only to remember what happened before, and where she was previously. She heard no running water, no gas or scattering rats. The floor was certainly cold, but dry, contrasting with the dampness of the sewers. Lastly, there was no body underneath her hand, let alone anywhere near her. She was relocated, and she needed to know where.

I, too, came around. It was strange that I was also thrown into the abyss of Malice's unconsciousness, but her mind seemed to have completely shut off, and I had no freedom to move. I realized that I was also limited to Malice's mental power; it was different when she slept, because her mind still acted, if not more calmly. During that time, I still kept watch of our surroundings. Waking up was a strange, and unnerving, feeling.

Malice pushed herself up, considering the thin coils under her fingers, and the dusty ground. Once getting to her feet, she scrutinized everything closely, and noted that she was alone. Or so she thought.

"My little girl have a nice sleep?"

Malice turned around, beholding the throne of the one who had spoken. It was an aged man, hair completely white and sharp eyes watching her. His loose fist supported his jaw slightly, making him look pensive, and a small smile sat on his lips.

"Who are you?" Malice barked, standing straight and alert. Her senses kicked up when he shifted in his seat, as he was looking over his shoulder at her. Thinking of his words, she registered who he was and answered her own question; "_You're _Father?"

"I told you I would be in a different form, when we would meet," he said. Malice looked at his visage more closely, and wondered how such a dwarf-like dark puff could be this human, and aged. "But yes, it's me."

"And where did you bring me?"

"Well, we are under Central, the core of Amestris. It's funny, isn't it? We're under the place where your former mission began."

My sin looked up at the ceiling as if she could see it all. It was when I was in control, but where Malice existed as a simple sin and guided me. Lust chased me through the streets, herding me to where Edward and Alphonse were, and she set me up for the beginning.

"My memory's a bit fuzzy," Malice admitted, "but why wasn't I brought here to you before I started? Why didn't Dante mention you?"

"To be completely honest, I was rather skeptical of you at first," he began. "That Alchemist who created you... I had been watching him for quite some time, for I saw his temptation for human transmutation. But he was too cowardly to do so... and he had no one he would die to bring back, so I had Dante go to him and give him a proposition."

"You granted him a power to deactivate all alchemy but his own, so long as he created me."

"Yes. Now, I didn't expect a human like him to actually succeed. I had intended him to become an exceptional sacrifice, suffering from Truth's punishment, but he managed to avoid Truth's price and created a Philosopher's Stone the _right _way. He used live material, and you were created in his experiment. For a while, you were under his care, underground. He tried nurturing you and giving you chance to grow like a lab rat. But you were a pathetic little thing; a runt. He had no hope for you, and left you for dead. But it didn't come to his mind that homunculi's only nourishment are Red Stones.

"Even as your health improved, I didn't see true development in you. Your true potential was still locked away inside, so I left you in Dante's care, out in the countryside. She would do my bidding, and see whether or not you were a worthy daughter of mine. It'd only be when you proved yourself that I would confront you."

"Don't call me your daughter when I wasn't even born from you," she growled. She crossed her arms and glowered. "Where is Dante now? I need some answers from her as well."

A woman chuckled. Stepping from the shadows, Dante came to Father's side, at the bottom of his heightened throne. She smiled at Malice as if she had no idea how the homunculus could possibly be angry with her.

"It's been a long time, Malice," she said smoothly. My sin bared her teeth.

"Long time my ass. You weaselled your way into my mind and paralysed me. Who are you, really? I was forced to trust you in the beginning, but now I don't even know the real names of my 'brothers'. I was told Pride wasn't Pride. So who's he, and who's the real Pride?"

"You are very persistent, but if you are to that degree, I guess I should provide some clarity." Dante breathed in deeply before continuing. "I'm a practitioner of Alchemy from hundreds of years before now, and have been switching bodies and maintaining a Philosopher's Stone within myself, though I must not be mistaken as a homunculus. Each of my former bodies succumbed to age and so I swapped into a body of a healthy, young person to continue living each time."

I realized that, perhaps, _that_ was the reason her form in our mind was so aged. Malice listened impatiently, her finger twitching ever so slightly.

"As for the misconception you have on your siblings, there were some complications during the time we were looking for you. Both the Wrath and Sloth you knew were acting unaccordingly. Do you know in what way?" She waited for Malice to give an answer, but she only received a raised brow.

"They acted like you. I guess that's expected, with results of human transmutation. The emotions of the human they were created from started to dictate their behaviour, and we knew they would eventually go against us. Sloth is dead, and Wrath's Stone has been severely wounded, but he managed to escape."

I didn't know quite how to take in this news. I remembered my meeting with the child Wrath, in Dublith, and how he sounded so sure that he was going to get what he wanted, being the rest of Edward's body to call his own. He solely relied on the help of the homunculi to do so, and now he was somewhere, slowly dying. Sloth, however only meeting her once... her death was more of a relief. She was the brother's mother, and as a homunculus, her soul never rested. Now that it did, it made me happy.

"The homunculus named King Bradley," Dante continued, "now takes the name of Wrath. The original Sloth is working on Father's project. Lust, Gluttony and Envy remain the same."

"And Pride?" Malice asked. Father took the honour of answering this one.

"He is my one son closest to my image. He is perfect. I gave him the name of Pride, but as more homunculi were in need of names, I retracted his, for I thought that a flawless image like him didn't need a name. Now that the seat of Pride is empty, I realize that it was fated to be his all along. After all, becoming just like your father calls for a bounty of pride."

"I wouldn't understand why anyone would be proud of looking like you," Malice muttered. Her eyes closed, and she took in some air.

"...and Greed?"

Father shifted in his seat to look more forwardly at Malice. A smile touched his features.

"You'll never see him again."

It was even more quiet than it was when we awakened, or so it seemed to me. Whatever Malice was feeling, I couldn't decipher right now. Her face looked impassive, deep in thought, and the others present waited patiently. They were rewarded by her scornful laughter, which startled me.

"I'm surrounded by idiots," she smiled nastily. The Ore crept up from her fingertips on each arm. "Greed's one for getting himself killed; I'll never forgive him. But the biggest morons here are you. I mean, why the hell would you leave me alive after what you've done, huh? You think I'd forgive you?"

Father looked like he expected this, for his smile didn't falter. As the Ore worked up to her throat, her eyes took on the most terrifying, beastly look, one that I had never seen before.

_Malice! Please don't fight him! _I tried to convince her. I really tried. She didn't hear me.

"_You'll regret ever having me created_."

The Ore finished its work, with Malice's face completely disappearing under the sheen of her mask, and leaving only cold, slanted eyes. Father finally stood up from his seat, and I noticed that some of the energy cords that surrounded him were actually attached to his back. They snapped away, and he descended from his throne. He held up a hand to Dante, who stepped away from them.

My sin leapt at Father, brandishing her claws.

* * *

The two brothers sat outside. Alphonse was in the open doorway of the meatshop's backdoor, while Edward, using the light of the hallway, cleaned Alphonse's chest plate, which was formerly stained with Martel's blood. It was a job Edward took it upon himself to do. In the meantime, Alphonse sat, with his own thoughts to himself.

Wiping it dry, Edward patted the piece of armour. "Alright! It's clean."

Alphonse didn't respond at first, and the older brother looked at him in concern.

"...you alright?"

The younger brother perked up, as if he hadn't heard Edward's previous words. "Yeah. I'm just a bit confused."

"It's not your fault."

He was speaking of the fate of Martel. Alphonse held up a hand to signify that it was something else.

"No, it's not that. I've regained the memory of when my body was brought over... 'there'."

The Fullmetal Alchemist stared at his brother in shock. This had happened when the young chimaera inside Alphonse was killed. He had no idea why that, of all things, had triggered his memory, but it did. He remembered being dragged through the door, full of truths and memories, and finally being ripped apart by Truth...

"...how... how was it?"

Alphonse tried to describe it, waving his hands, but it looked more comical than serious. He proceeded to tell his brother more of what he was confused about; "But I didn't find anything out about human transmutation."

"I... see." Edward looked down in thought.

"No gain, after all that."

"No, that's not true."

He took in his thoughts, then explained them to his brother. He reminded him of their time in the hospital in Central, where they discussed the Ouroboros tattoo, the Philosopher's Stone, and the Homunculi in general. They believed that the Homunculi were the cause of the military's unease, but the way King Bradley handled things was strange. He had everyone involved in the matter slaughtered, and went in himself to resolve it. Nothing made too much sense.

"...I'll stick with the military for now, I guess..." Edward was saying, and he gave the chest plate back to his brother. Alphonse accepted it and was in the middle of strapping it back on. Edward froze when his brother thought aloud.

"Do you know what happened to Malice?"

The silence between them then was thick. In all honesty, Edward was wondering that, even though he tried his best to act apathetic to it. In the end, she lost her chance to take Alphonse's life. For whatever reason, he was glad his brother was returned to him. He was curious on where she went, though.

"It's weird," Alphonse started. "She was very different from Urami. I could tell that much. She wasn't the same person. But... there was a resemblance."

"In what way?" Edward asked, feeling stingy. Comparing Malice to Urami was the last thing he'd thought he would tolerate with.

"She was a monster, but I couldn't help seeing... that sadness."

Edward stared at his brother calmly, expressionless. He closed his eyes and sighed. Covering it up, he smiled forcefully.

"Let's not talk more of this. Come on, let's go eat. Master, we're hungry!"

"Be quiet! Come help me if you wanna eat soon!"

... Edward didn't see the message Malice left for him. It was too dark, and he didn't feel the message under the rag, or he simply assumed they were scratchings left by the dying chimaera. But the characters still remained.

* * *

Malice collapsed to the ground heavily. She could hardly move her limbs, already crumbling from the force of impact to the earth. The Ore had rusted over, and most of it had cracked off, one of these areas being her face. Her teeth were bared in fury. Somehow, in some way, her opponent had turned the Ore against her. Father walked slowly to her and towered over her.

"Why did you spare me?" she hissed. He bent down a little, and his hair whisked past his ears, like pale threads. Father's eyes creased a little.

"It was what Greed desired."

Malice's eyes widened, stupefied. In her weakness, the Ore's rust decayed, and Father sought his chance. His hand came down and plunged into her stomach, causing her to come back to reality, and she roared. Something inside me started to burn and I screamed in our mind.

"What are you doing?" Malice, startled by my scream, grabbed Father's wrist, for his hand was completely immersed in her flesh. His power was too great for her to take on.

"The humans inside you must be silenced," he said. "Only the energy component of their souls will remain. The rest of them, however, will be severed from your Stone."

"You think they have anything to do on how I act? I obey no one! No one dictates my actions!" Her voice grew louder with the increasing agony. The burning I felt was only a microcosm of her pain.

As she shrieked, something dastardly was at work. I was thrown back into our mind, and I found the children there, huddled together, in pain. Each held a hand to their own chest, moaning. Before my eyes, I saw a red glow rise from the centre of their chests, and from there, their bodies started to erode. I looked to myself, and realized that this process was happening to me as well. I was disappearing.

I could still hear the voices from outside. It seemed that the mind my sin and I shared with each other was breaking down as well, and the walls were thinning and falling apart.

"I saw her, Malice," Dante was saying. "You were split in two, and I met your human side. There's no point in lying. There's no point in protecting her."

"Leave me!"

Father cut the bonds further, and I could feel the burning even more deeply. The other children dissolved, one by one, and I was sure to follow. The white walls shattered, and I was surrounded by darkness.

"You will be cleansed, my daughter. I will free you from your bonds!"

"_Stop it!"_

I disappeared, too.

Many moments passed. Father had removed himself from Malice and stood up straight, his hands folded in his heavy sleeves. He looked down at Malice's form, that was still and unresponsive. Her eyes were dulled and unfocused, and her mouth was still open. He commanded:

"Rise, spiteful Malice."

Malice's eyes sharpened at the call of her name. She slowly and gradually got to her feet, and she stood in front of Father patiently, awaiting his word. He unfolded his hands and set them on her shoulders. She didn't fight back. Dante stepped forward with a victorious look on her face.

"You are cleansed of your faults, my child," Father said soothingly. Malice looked up at him, her eyes empty of the struggle she had before. They were still vindictive, but Father relished it.

"It's good to have her under control again," Dante sighed tranquilly. Father hadn't looked back at her yet, and acted as if he hadn't heard her say anything.

"How are you feeling?"

"Rather weak," Malice replied, and sure enough, she did look exhausted. Father smiled in understanding, and he turned around, looking over at Dante.

She didn't understand the situation.

"This is because you've died many times, and you need to recover that energy back. Another Philosopher's Stone will suffice for now."

He pushed Malice forward, toward Dante. The greatly-older woman started to catch on, and her pleased expression grew more and more disturbed and betrayed. Malice watched Dante hungrily, having known her Father's intentions much earlier than her prey. Dante stepped back, her arm up in defense.

"Wh-What's the meaning of this? I've served you all of these years, and now—?"

"My children come before my servants, even though you make a good sacrifice. In the end, I'll only need four. The fourth will be easy to make, so you have no further use to me. If you truly are a servant of mine, do my biding and provide for my young."

"No!"

Dante was cornered. She had no where to run. Malice's lips curved sadistically, and her voice carried dark mirth.

"You've cheated death too many times. In _my_ game, _I _win."

* * *

I felt like I was being torn in multiple directions, but all the while I was being propelled forward, through a storm f chaos consisting of pictures and memories...

Everything that had happened so far. My waking up in the homunculi's household with Dante, my meeting with Edward and Alphonse, Edward's gift to me — I had suddenly wondered what happened to it then—, our kiss in the medical clinic while he was covered in bandages... the stop in Rush Valley, the arrival in Dublith, my confrontation with the child Wrath, who had no chance of survival now...

My meeting with the Alchemist brought a load of painful images. Margaret's death, the children's memories, lying to Edward and seeing his hurt face... and finally, _my _death. I hadn't been sure before on how I was killed, but now I watched as the stakes of stone penetrated my skin, most morbidly in the head. I looked and saw the fate of the talisman Edward gave me, and it was shattered. The hoop was still intact though, so I wondered what had happened to it...

Malice rose where I had died, and some of the events after that followed, too. She killed the Alchemist, and soon waged battle against all present, human and homunculi alike. My introduction as a spirit appeared as she was a breath away from killing the one I loved most, and I took hold on her Stone.

Malice's memories were not here with me. It didn't show Greed anywhere, and I assumed that this travel through noise and pictures was only for me. It felt like everything was pouring into my mind, threatening to make it explode. I couldn't take it anymore when the images started to repeat themselves, and I thought I'd scream until all of a sudden, everything stopped.

I halted mid-run in the middle of a vast, white space. I was confused at first, disoriented, and I looked around. When I turned my back, there was this huge mass of stone that towered over me, and I recognized it as a Gate. Margaret had passed through this in my and Malice's mind. As to why I was in front of it, I wasn't certain.

"Urami! Hey, Urami!"

I turned around, and I saw the children in the space where I previously saw nothing before. They waved to me, looking rather happy. Their moods confused me, since we were just seemingly destroyed in the world of the living. They laughed joyfully, and that had to make me think. The children didn't approach me, as I thought they would. Perhaps they were excited about something...

As I was thinking this, another great mass rose behind them, with deeper and more extravagant engravings than my Gate had. Some of the children beckoned me to them, while others turned around and watched the greater Gate, jittery with excitement. I stepped closer to them, one step at a time, until halfway there, their Gate opened, and they stepped through it. Some looked determined to wait, but their longing showed on their faces, and they eventually grew too tired of waiting. The last one was Rosalyn, who smiled weakly before disappearing after Cid. The Gate remained open for me, but I didn't see where it led to.

I was metaphorically scratching the inside of my skull, trying to understand where I was and what was happening. I reviewed on just what happened before I went through my Gate... Father severed our souls from Malice's Stone. That means he set us free, with the energy of our spirits remaining with my sin. The point stayed the same, though, that we were ultimately set free... could this mean that...?

"No," I whispered. "No. Please. Not yet..."

I turned my back on the open Door and faced my own. It was shut tightly. I ran back to it and put my hands on it, trying to push it open. Nothing. I tried getting a grip to pull, but there was nothing to grab onto without devastating and hurting my fingers. But I wasn't going to give up.

_You can't go back._

I turned around hastily, surprised there was still someone here other than myself. What I found surprised me even more. It was like...well, the person I saw had no features whatsoever, but I saw... me. Just a silhouette of white, differentiated from the space around us by black dust. How I saw myself was the overall shape of the silhouette, frail shape and all. It sat in the same place where I stopped earlier, sitting with one knee up and the other folded.

"Are you Truth?" I asked. I brought up some of my memories of Edward explaining his vague experience to help me.

It spoke, and warped as it was, it sounded masculine.

_Yes. Well, I'm also known as the world. Or the universe. Or 'God'. Or—_

"Many, many names," I finished for him. I really had no time for this. "Could you please tell me why I'm here?"

_You see that Gate over there? _he jerked back a thumb at the open Doorway. _It's waiting for you_.

"Where does it go?"

_It leads to two places, for each soul —once dead— has a choice between two things. The first place is paradise, for those who wish for eternal bliss and rest. The second place is a world much like the one you just left, but with the absence of alchemy. Souls who choose this place are often the ones who die much earlier than their time, or wish to live again. After that next life is used up, they immediately go to rest. If you really want to live again, you'll have to pass through that Gate and embrace your other self there._

So I was roughly right. The children, having been wandering in Malice for so long, were provided the chance to rest. The 'other life' thing wasn't quite clear to me but that was the least of my interests. "But I'm not dead," I told Truth firmly. "I need to go back."

_You can't._

"And why not?"

_Leaving here would require some equivalent compensation._

That was a puzzling rule, even though that was how Edward and Alphonse suffered. I looked down at myself, fumbling with the edge of my shirt. I tucked my hands in my pockets to check for anything of value, but that was a childish thought. I had nothing to give, except...

"Would I have to give up my soul?" I asked with dread. Truth shook his head, and I saw a grin appear, the first yet disquieting feature to appear.

_That is an entity with no equivalent partner. Nothing in this world or the next can compare to the value of a soul. It would be more than enough to pay, for sure, but I can't divide your soul. It is an immortal thing. However, I _do_ know something else you have to give._

"What is that?"

He gestured to the Gate behind him again. It was a vague indication, but I caught on after a moment's thought.

"I can give up my places past that Gate."

_Quite right. Both places. After I send you back to the world of alchemy... after you __**die**__ for the last time, you'll be force to wander in limbo for eternity. That is a very heavy price, but that's how things work. You can't bring someone back for free._

"I understand," I said slowly. For a moment, I was scared. I realized that whatever happens after death kind of scared me. But I needed to go. I had unfinished business, and I was determined to get it done. Edward was back there, and he needed my protection. Malice... I wasn't sure about her, but I needed to see her as well.

_Your decision?_

I took my time to recreate my reasons more clearly. I wanted to go back. For Malice. For Edward. How things were going, I knew something bigger was brewing.

"Take it all!" I shouted, smiling. "I'll pay! I'm going back!"

_Ignorant, but valiant, girl._

The Doorway that was opened to my paradise broke down and whisked away, never to return, and I felt something in my being disappear as well. Perhaps it was my ticket to afterlife. Currently, I didn't give a damn. My Gate opened behind me, and I turned around to meet it. Small hands slithered out and took hold of me, dragging me inside. I kind of heard the Door close behind me, but I was too out of it on the return trip to remember anything further.

When I returned, it felt like that ordeal never occurred, as if Father had never separated me from my body. The only difference was that I didn't see my body anywhere in sight, and I was all alone. I recognized the place, though, to be the underground caverns of Central. I had heard the faintest hint of a scream, in its last echoing loop.

I got to my feet, and noticed something about myself. I could clearly see through my hand, through my limbs, through my body. I should've expected this; I had been expecting to gain back a _physical_ body, but how could I gain something back when it wasn't mine in the first place? What I got back was my spiritual presence in Amestris. It was a disappointment, but I felt I could care less.

I made my way to where I last heard the scream, and in no time it seemed, I reached Father's throne. I observed the chemistry instruments on the table, and some grim chess pieces, but I didn't stay there long. I rounded the large chair, and my stomach churned when I saw Malice, seated on a distorted carcass, blood dripping from her mouth messily. I identified the body underneath her as Dante's, though her face was maimed beyond recognition. From the shadows, I saw a gaping hole, rib bones sticking out like outstretched fingers. Malice licked her lips, savouring the taste.

"How do you feel now?" Father asked her calmly. Her Ore-coated fingers reverted back to skin and she sucked certain places to juice out as much flavour as possible.

"Powerful."

"As you should."

Father held up his hand, calling out to his daughter silently. Malice stood up and went to walk to him obediently. I didn't want her anywhere near him, so I ran up and stood between her and Father.

She didn't see me. She just walked right through me.

Shocked, I didn't respond at first. I turned around to see Malice standing by Father.

"I'm rather proud of you, though you were rather unmannered with your meal. You've made quiet a mess."

"I was having so much fun, I guess I got carried away."

"Yes. You did satisfy your spite."

Father took on this distant look in his eyes. Malice waited for whatever he had formulating in his mind. As I waited as well, I noticed how calm and untroubled Malice was, as if she didn't care about anything in the world. What about Greed? What about her emotions, where were they?

"You've been through a lot in the past few months," Father said at last. Has it only been that? Months? "You've had many struggles. After all that, is there anything you regret?"

She closed her eyes, laughing softly. She didn't even bat an eye on the aspect of Greed's death. "I wish I had killed the Elric brothers when I had the chance."

"It is good that you didn't, since they're much more important than how they started out. That is, however, a good answer."

Malice smirked. It died a little as Father continued.

"But due to your disobedience thus far, I can't let you slide; that's not proper discipline. How do they say it these days...? Ah, yes...

"You're grounded."

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _Yay! Another one.

I'm sure I could've gotten it to you a lot faster, but recently my mom dragged me to a salon and I got a manicure. Well, more of the gell-ons, since I bite my nails and wouldn't be able to get a proper one. They look really nice, and I think I'll learn not to bite my nails anymore, but it's really hard to get used to. I have to practice more piano, and typing on the laptop will take some time, too. I'm getting better though!

I really hope none of you are confused by this chapter. I was really trying to tie up loose ends, and it makes sense to me, but I'm not sure if I explained it as clearly as I should. Please ask me any questions if you think something's off in the plot of things. I'm trying my best to work the first and second animes and the manga all together nicely. I've gone this far, so I can't give up! Also, I'd love it if people could point out any grammatical or spelling errors. I hate missing them XD

Thank you to those who reviewed last time! And I hope to hear more of your thoughts!

-Vixen


	28. Split

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 28

For a time, I stayed with the Homunculi, until I was to get a better lead. Malice, for her punishment for 'disobedience', was going to be sent to keep the original Sloth company. It was a curious thing, because I had no idea who could possibly replace the image of the Erics' mother. Apparently he was working on some tunnel that roughly surrounded the perimeter of Amestris. At the time, I didn't know it was a perfect circle that met other areas, so the thought of a transmutation circle never crossed my mind. Anyway, right now, Malice had to put up with the presence of Envy for just a little longer.

She was given no tasks to do because of her upcoming punishment, which she found out was going to be even more boring than now. She did, however, change her outfit; it was looking mandatory, because everyone was in some sort of black attire. She was provided with a collection of articles of clothes, and she settled simply with a tank top, pants, and sneakers. All black, of course. The red nodes that patterned her as a homunculus were visible on her shoulderblades and wristbones now.

Lastly, Malice still couldn't see me. If I'd stand right in front of her, moving my hands about, she wouldn't be fazed, wouldn't even blink, looking at whatever she was looking at currently. She didn't look like she wondered where I went, either. It bothered me slightly, because it made me think that I had lost my body altogether... but I couldn't let that fact sink in as truth. I was going to get it back eventually, even if I didn't know how.

One day, before she left to find Sloth, she had joined the other homunculi consisting of Envy, Lust, and Gluttony. I suppose they were on break or something, and she had come back from sitting by Father. Envy gave her a rather nasty smirk.

"How're you feeling, Malice?" he asked sarcastically.

"Pleasantly morbid," she replied. "Mind if I take it out on you?"

"Oh, I dunno. You shouldn't be challenging your older brother like that."

"Don't call yourself my brother. Well, if I say so myself, a worm like you isn't much of a challenge. I remember the last time we met well."

"That's because I didn't put in my all," Envy grinned. "And besides, wouldn't your weak-as-hell heart interfere?"

Malice's nostrils flared. "I don't know what you mean."

Her 'brother' laughed. "You _do_ know. I wonder how you took it when Greed was pronounced dead. How do you feel now, huh? Knowing that your friend was melted down?"

I was expecting Malice to slit Envy's throat. But her expression hardly changed.

"...I see. If you're thinking that my emotions will interfere, well... they're kind of gone."

Envy's smile disappeared. "What do_ y__ou_ mean?"

"Our... leader eliminated the human's souls within me, including my human side," she said. My focus on the conversation sharpened up. "With her gone, I hardly remember how I felt in the last couple of weeks. I kind of remember what happened, but I can't remember their importance. Was Greed my friend? Because I don't recall too much of him."

Envy wasn't sure on what to say. He just stared at Malice stupidly. Lust was listening but, too, said nothing. Malice approached Gluttony.

"Here; I found this and thought you'd appreciate it," she said as she pulled a rat carcass from her pocket. That was _beyond_ unsanitary... Gluttony beamed and took it from her, munching on it noisily. She patted him on the head with an indifferent smile on her face, like praising a mindless beast.

She no longer cared for Greed? What the hell was this? What had Father done to her? This was wrong on so many levels, and I found myself so angry. It was no wonder why she followed his command now. I used to hate Malice so much, but I couldn't help but feel pity for her. I couldn't even imagine myself remembering Edward and feeling nothing at the memory. Even though it was a painful yearning I felt, at least it was _something!_

Now that I thought about it, I really wanted to go see Edward. And... I realized with happiness that I was able to, without the chance of Malice killing him. I suppose some good came from being separated from my body. I don't need her to get there for me. I was very tempted to leave then and there to go see him, but I couldn't yet.

I knew something was happening underground. Father had a plan that devastated this country's people. Although those people have done nothing to help me —how could they help anyway, right?—, I didn't want anything bad to happen to them. I would stay for a little longer, to at least get a lead. Edward was safe in Dublith at the time, and I was sure he could take care of himself there.

Even though that was the case, I still worried for him.

* * *

Malice was finally leaving, with Lust guiding her to the entrance of the tunnel. By the look of things, the tunnel was pretty big, but it still held a containing vibe, one that could trigger fears of closed spaces. For miles, there were dots of lights that lined the walls; lanterns. Lust pointed down the way that Malice was to go.

"For a good mile or two, the lights are still lit," she informed my sin. "Beyond that, you'll have to light your own lantern and continue. Sloth often likes to work in the dark, and most likely to doze off in it, too."

Malice nodded, and she didn't say anything else, let alone a good-bye. She didn't seem as talkative as I had been with Lust — it was little, but still more than the few words she gave. She followed the older homunculus' pointing finger, alone. Her form became a simple silhouette after passing several lamps, but I heard her footsteps for a good deal longer than that. This was where she and I would part ways, and although it should have been settling, is was also _un_settling. I wouldn't be there watching over her. Plus, it was my _body_ walking away from me, for goodness sake.

For now, I had to stay. Maybe I'd hear something.

Of course, without a voice, I wasn't able to ask any of the homunculi directly, and there was no telling whether or not they were going to discuss a plan that they've already discussed to perfection. Right now they were simply biding their time, awaiting further commands from Father. He, too, bid his time. I grew more and more impatient as the days passed by, and even more helpless. Missing Edward was also the most painful.

* * *

"...and so, Sir Mustang has successfully avenged his best friend," Envy said many days after Malice left, with a piece of paper folded in his fingers. He lifted up his arms in childish victory. "What a happy ending!"

At first, this news didn't interest me at all, for I had no recollection of ever hearing about this 'Mustang' person. But all the same, it was something new and fresh in this dank underground, so I stayed.

"But it was unexpected that not only did she escape, but she was also killed by the target," Lust went on. "Were we being a bit loose?"

"Who cares; the dog ate the bait, no harm done. Maria Ross is dead."

Now _that_ was something I recognized. I knew who Ross was, didn't I...? Yes, she was one of the ones assigned to look after the brothers when I met them, because someone wanted to kill them. The other one was Brosh if I remembered right. But that was beside the point... Ross was killed by this Mustang person. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her; she couldn't have done anything wrong.

Envy approached Lust and held up a piece of paper for her to take. She took it and looked at its cover as he continued: "We made some gain as well. That's the suspect who attacked the detention center."

"Oh my, my..."

I stepped up behind her and looked past her arm. I knew that person as well. There was Barry the Chopper drawn, armour and all.

"I thought he died when the fifth research institute was destroyed. Do you know where he ran off to?"

"Hell if I know."

"You're useless."

"Shut up, you hag. I need more helpers."

Lust started walking toward a set of titanium doors that I had explored at one point in my stay. That room was filled with monsters I couldn't explain, ones with anatomy far beyond any sense to me. Others had human shapes, but seemed far to animalistic. Their eyes had seen into my soul, and I concluded that animals could see me. They grew even more restless when I visited them.

Lust opened these doors and entered the gloom. The torn voices of the beasts rasped out. "This thing right here would be plenty of help," she said, and then I heard her whisper to a different address. Getting closer, I caught her words; "It's your turn. Come out... Barry the Chopper."

I got a glimpse of the man in the cage, and it was the one that had responded most violently to my visit. I was confused as to why she called him that, but then I got the picture. The Barry I knew was simply a soul in armour, and this mindless creature was simply a body _without_ a soul... of course. One would think the body would try and regain its soul. So, like a dog, it would lead the homunculi to that armour. But what would that do...? Barry wasn't so much as a threat, was he?

As I was lost in thought, Envy turned to leave, but his route was directed through my space. At first I didn't think anything of it. I mean, he'd go right through me, like Malice, so why would I bother thinking about it?

The moment Envy passed through me, somewhere deep inside me, something growled. Before my mind's eye, I saw Winry. I had had a feeling of jealousy of her at one point, but the intense emotion that I felt now was nothing I experienced. It _burned_, and at the same time, it felt natural. I saw Edward behind her, and it just fed the blaze. She looked back at him and smiled as they joined hands. His returning smile was tender and endearing. How I _wished_ he'd direct it at me like he used to. Now I was stuck like this, and she—!

And all at once I was me again. Wide-eyed, I looked down at my hands, which I saw were trembling. The furious jealousy left a foul after-taste. The thoughts I had before weren't mine. They were something that generated from the small envy I had...

Envy. I looked back and saw him behind me. He had momentarily stopped and scratched his head. Had he felt me when he walked through me? He rolled his shoulders as if shrugging off a strange sensation.

"That was queer," he muttered. "Why did that brat and his girlfriend come to mind...?"

Not only did he sense me, but my thoughts...!

Envy found an answer to his question rather quickly. He addressed Lust over his shoulder."Oh! That's probably why. Where are the Elric brothers now, huh?"

"I hear they've returned to Central."

I took that news with both dread and relief. I wanted to see them, but not _here._ Not so close to the enemy's base. Also, I couldn't see them _yet_. I just discovered something that I could possibly use.

I didn't quite catch what Envy said because I slipped into the room Lust was in. She just sliced the lock on Barry's cage with one of her Lance fingers. I took a deep breath, unsure with this extra experiment, because I didn't know exactly what to expect. I forced my foot forward and entered Lust's back.

Edward appeared before me, looking as natural and unwounded as I wanted him to be. But his eyes were smothering, gazing at me deeply. They were even more attractive than I thought possible. After getting lost in them for a moment, I found my eyes straying down to his chest. Another type of fire purred, and it was one I found myself enjoying. Just as I looked at a button of a shirt he never wore, he started undoing it. I closed my eyes, in what I hoped was embarrassment and respect, but within seconds I felt his lips graze my neck, beckoning. The passion grew hotter and more breathtaking, and his hands covered every inch of me...

_I can't be distracted_, I managed to tell myself. Lust didn't seem to hear me, so I guessed thoughts based on words weren't as strong as the images. I knew I was in Lust's domain, so I had to search for the stronghold. I tried breaking out of the sexually-desired fantasy, and it was very hard to do so with such a strong passion and temptation pulling my consciousness under. I eventually managed to keep the chemistry at bay, and thought my absolute hardest to try and...

It seemed trying to possess another homunculus was just not within my power, so I gave up. I withdrew from her entirely, and was somewhat glad. I felt filthy when I thought back to the imagery that sprouted from my venture. I saw Lust's face, and her lips and brows twitched. She was probably wondering why she was thinking of Edward, and with such pedophiliac feelings in her case. She said nothing, keeping it to herself, or perhaps thinking nothing of it. The sin of lust had many forms.

So. I could enter and feel the emotions of the homunculi, but I couldn't faze nor possess them. The only thing that I could influence them with were with image-based thoughts of my own. Maybe their sins were too overwhelming for a spirit like myself, one much more human-oriented. In response to that, I wondered how I would influence an animal, or a regular human...

But why didn't Malice and I have any reaction? Was that Father's doing, to prevent me from ever having any influence on her?

I was tempted to go test myself and see what Father was thinking, but I was intimidated by that idea. I had no idea what would happen, and for all I knew, it could destroy me... so I decided not to test it. Instead, I turned on the spot and left. Down the entangling tunnels, I was going to find my way out, and see the sun again.

The sun I thought of had golden eyes.

* * *

After what seemed like hours, I managed to get to the end of the tunnels. Where I was, there seemed to be a dead end. I didn't want to take this as a sign to turn back, and I had to remind myself that I could step through objects. I forced myself through, and when I passed through, I found myself blinded in a large white room. Turning back, I saw that the dead end before was actually a very large door, almost mimicking the Gate. Aside from that, the room was empty and had no other doors...

I stepped through the opposite wall and discovered myself to be in a scientific institute. People in lab coats roamed the halls, paying no heed to what they couldn't see. I was still getting used to how bright everything was, but I was welcoming the harsh light at the same time. Confused as I was, I kept going until I found the exit to the building altogether.

From then on, I wandered even more, in a city that I found at least a little more familiar. It was strange to walk with ordinary people, and even more strange to do so when they couldn't see me, but there was nothing I could do about that. I was pleased to find the Central Headquarters, where I had seen Edward and Alphonse for the first time. This was a sort of stepping stone, because if you know where one thing is, you vaguely know the direction to go in to find another stepping stone.

Later, I found the place I lost consciousness, when my regeneration capabilities weren't refined yet. The people walked on as I slipped into the dark alley. The end of it was what had stopped me before... the darkness that stained the bricks, I now realized, was a scene of a horrible murder. I felt compelled to go up to it and pay my respects. However, I realized that my reasoning was much more profound. I felt something powerful in that space, something similar to my existence, and I was attracted to it. I touched the surface with the whole of my hand.

It was just like passing through the Gate of Truth. All the images flashed by very fast, and yet I could remember them clearly, as if they were my own memories. I saw a little girl, only about four years old, and a large dog with beige fur. They played happily together, always. I saw armour, and a red cloak, and soon Edward's and Alphonse's visages beamed at me as they passed. Then I saw a man, who seemed friendly enough, but a dark desperation reached his eyes.

Electricity snapped in serpentine patterns, and a sad, pathetic creature looked sorrowfully at me. My spine chilled over, and I realized what that creature was. Some sick, cold-hearted experiment. The poor thing was the little girl and dog mixed together.

The creature managed to get into this alley, but... it wasn't alone. It drew closer to a man whose eyes were shrouded behind dark sunglasses, even though rain pelted down and no sun penetrated the shadows. He spoke to her, and suddenly, the creature exploded under his hand.

I yanked my hand from the wall and returned to reality. Again, my hands trembled, but much more fiercely in response to this miserable memory. Did I tune in to the past? This was what had happened long ago, but recent enough that the Elric brothers met her. There was a small girl named Nina, a dog named Alexander, Shou Tucker — The Life-Sewing Alchemist, whom my _own creator _worshipped —, and a man named Scar, the one who endangered the brothers as well. I knew their names as if I was there...

I really didn't want to be a spirit anymore after that. I couldn't believe that something so terrible could happen to someone. It just... I couldn't believe such a tragedy could... I was in a state where I'd forgotten what I was doing before, so it took me a few moments to recover.

A soft meow brought me back to my senses, though still shaken. I turned and saw a cat down at my feet, looking up at me curiously. It had an adorable spot near its right eye, a feature you wouldn't forget so easily. I stared back at it, questioning if it was actually staring at me or not. It meowed again. I eventually travelled down the wall, waiting for a response, and seeing its eyes following me, I lifted a hand above it. It looked up at it, went on its hind legs and tried to paw my palm. He couldn't quite reach, but it was proof; it could see me. After all, the creatures in Father's lair could see me, so the animals up here would too.

_Hi, _I greeted, smiling weakly. I reached to touch its fur, despite how pointless it was to try and pet it. The cat wasn't startled, and rather arched its body so to meet my hand faster.

Upon touching it fully, like the wall, I saw fast snippets of its past, one after the other. I saw the cat as a kitten, left in a litter on the streets. I saw the day of it wandering away from its birthplace, scavenging for food. For a split second, I saw a familiar figure and couldn't believe my eyes. Then the moments leading to our introduction followed, like déjà vu at a different perspective.

What I saw was Alphonse. Through the cat's eyes, I saw that the brother had bent down to pet it. The cat could sense that Alphonse wasn't normal, so that was what attracted it to him. Edward came by, looked at the cat — at _me_ —, and smiled ruefully. Winry accompanied them. The older brother patted his Alphonse's shoulder, and with one last look from the younger brother, the both of them left.

I returned back from memory lane, looking off into the distance. This was a recent memory. The cat had seen them today, and that was my lead. I looked back down at her —she was female, I learned—, and I didn't expect her to understand what I wanted. I mean, she'd have to be an incredibly smart street cat to understand human speech.

_Can you lead me to that boy?_

The cat sat down and started to groom herself. My mouth tilted in an expected line and I sighed. Asking wasn't going to do it...

So maybe my thoughts would...?

The cat finished grooming and stood up. She stared at me for a few more moments, then turned around and started to leave. I felt perplexed on what to do, so I did the impulsive thing and dove at it, in hopes of stopping her so I could think a little longer on what to do. And yet, the original intention was of no use anymore, because I got my solution.

I never thought I would ever look at the world through the eyes of a small beast. It was so phenomenal to me that I got distracted and forgot my purpose _again_. I had entered the cat entirely, and everything entered my eyes in black and white. I was so much closer to the ground that I would've thought I was lying on my belly, but I was actually just small, and on four legs. I — or more appropriately, the cat—, was still walking down the path. I sighed.

_Please, wait. Stop._

This time, it was different. Things in my vision stopped altogether, and that meant that the cat actually heard and understood me. She sat down and scratched behind her ear with her hind leg.

Within the cat's body, I felt the gnawing sensation of hunger.

_There's food where the boy is, I'm sure,_ I insisted. As I negotiated, my being started to engulf the control center, but I didn't want to steal this body so rudely, even if it was a cat's. I'm just weird in that sense... _He's a very compassionate boy. You saw how he approached you, a stray. He wouldn't be able to turn you away._

She took a moment of what I hoped was consideration, and even so, my consciousness overtook her. A cute meow echoed through my mind, and I could have smiled softly.

Entering the flesh of an animal was a strange but fresh sensation, and I had to get used to it. Scents I never would have caught before passed my nostrils and I could identify them rather easily; the sense of smell wasn't as acute as a dog's, but still better than what I could have accomplished.

Once I got used to walking on padded paws, I looked into the feline's memory and retraced its steps to the place where it had met the brothers. From there, we followed the scent and roamed the city in a different point of view.

* * *

Malice had been going through the tunnel for days and was tired of simply seeing darkness and nothing more. The lit lamps had run out long ago, and now she relied on a lantern she held in one hand and a maintaining kit she had strapped to her hip. She was running out for sure, but often she would find stores of supplies in the corner of a fork in the path. She had been going in strange turns, and only did she change her overall direction when she hit a curving wall. Here, she immediately knew this to be the outer circle. She of course knew that the tunnels were part of a transmutation circle, and she knew a little more of Father's plan than I did. She still didn't concern herself much of the idea, and instead daydreamed on how interesting the world would come out to be afterward.

Coming up, she heard the handling and digging of rocks with her keen hearing. It was still a long way ahead, but she was anticipating the confrontation with a 'brother' she hadn't seen yet. She wasn't sure what to expect.

All of a sudden, the digging stopped. Malice halted her progress down the tunnel to prick up her hearing more. For sure, the digging had stopped. Did Sloth grow lazy again and decide to doze off? Seemed reasonable. The only thing she found wrong with this picture was that she couldn't judge his distance now, and whether she should continue walking forward or call to him. She didn't feel like speaking out, so she continued walking.

Malice heard a slothful sigh, and a footfall that made the ground shudder. Whoever Sloth was, he was _big._ If that was the case, he'd be very slow, too. Malice, though slightly disturbed, held the lantern high.

She didn't see it coming at all. All she saw was a massive blur appear before her, a tremendous wind accompanying it. She only had enough time to sidestep, and even then she felt something wrong. In the next second, her shoulder erupted in a scarlet shower of blood. She whirled around to see where the beast went, letting the lantern hit the ground and roll. Her wound started knitting itself clean when the culprit turned around to look at her.

If anything, the thing that stood before her was simply a ton of muscle. The man hunched, for he was almost as tall and wide of the tunnel, and so Malice had no option to turn back the way she came. His dark hair was long and stringy, covering his broad face and lengthened to the middle of his huge shoulder blades. On one such shoulder, she saw the Ouroboros very clearly. The only thing that seemed small were his legs, supporting the rest of his body. His eye seemed simply white, and where his other one should have been was just a red node, one that defined the homunculi's body.

His expression didn't change at all from his natural daze. The only thing that offered a hint of mild surprise was the tilt of his head.

"You're... not... human..." he droned. The light-show from Malice's shoulder ceased and she stared at him with a serious look. "You... dodged, and you... healed..."

_Dodged_ wasn't quite the right word, but she assumed he meant that he wasn't able to land a perfect KO on her. "Yeah, big guy. I'm a homunculus, just like you. Sloth, is it?"

He looked up at the ceiling only centimeters from his nose. "I'm... Sloth... yeah."

"The man you call Father sent me to keep you company," she said, lip curling displeasingly. "My name is Malice."

"Ma...lice... Malice."

"Yeah, Malice. Now, how much of the tunnel do you have to dig left?"

Upon the reminder, he cracked his neck. "How... lame..."

He started walking toward her, and she tensed. The chains that hung from his limbs clanked loudly as he walked, and they should have given his movement away before. It proved how truly fast he was... She stepped aside, picking up the lantern she abandoned, and tried to squeeze herself firmly against the wall. Sloth passed by, only slightly brushing his hip against her knee. Once he passed, she regained her footing again and stood up, watching him recede. Not so much as a 'Excuse me' from him. She sighed at his overall boring behaviour and wondered how she was going to survive boredom, simply watching him work.

"I thought there... were only... seven..."

She caught up with his figure, but cut her pace to match his saunter. This was a puzzling comment, for there were overall nine homunculi before she was even created. Perhaps he had no idea that another stole his name. The Sloth and Wrath Malice knew were human transmutation results such as herself, so they weren't always around. And this Sloth must have been gone working for many, many years.

"I wasn't born of Father, like you. I'm more of a... new addition."

As they continued on, Malice noted all of the rocks that grew larger in size the farther they went. Soon enough, the rocky wall Sloth was working on emerged, with the boulders he hacked off littering the ground. He stomped through them, breaking them pretty much to dust. Once arriving at the wall, he brought his massive fist back and let it plummet to the surface. He left impressive craters in it, and he continued doing so, making everything crumble down to underfoot.

"This work... very boring... dunno why... Father sent you. There's... nothing for... you... to do."

Malice's eyes looked up to the ceiling wearily. "I know."

"...well... maybe you... can go other way... and see... if anything fall into... tunnel."

"What, you mean like an intruder?"

Sloth grunted for the affirmative. "Animal, human... I think, in some places... ground very weak... if something fall... it could screw... tunnel up."

Malice blinked, swinging the lantern slightly in consideration. "If that was a possibility, wouldn't someone else be here patrolling?"

"Pride does... but he... has other things... to do, too."

She felt a strange sensation travel up her spine, like invisible fingers caressing it softly. She didn't like the feeling, and looked around. She saw nothing. She was half-expecting to see the Führer, but she had to remind herself that he was Wrath now, and probably was before the child Wrath was created. Why Father was so indecisive in naming, she had little clue.

"...well, I suppose it's a good idea," she sniffed as she turned on her heel. "Need me to leave a light?"

"Best... work in... the dark..."

"Alright. Later."

Sloth continued working as if she didn't exist. Malice left, walking until his work were mere echoes. In the chilling emptiness, she kept feeling that strange sensation she had, when Sloth mentioned Pride. She would look over shoulder often, even though it wasn't possible for something to slip by her vision and sneak up behind her. Paranoid, her senses grew tenfold.

She even thought her own _shadow_ jumped out of place. That must have been just a trick of the light.

* * *

We found ourselves at the hotel residence the Elric brothers had stayed at before, when they found out the secret in Marcoh's notes. I don't know why I hadn't thought of coming here before, but I was still very grateful to the cat whom I borrowed a body. However, there were some problems I discovered on my way over there.

I didn't notice at first, but my better judgement recognized things that were out of place. We passed by places we remembered, and they had signs. And yet, in their place, there were scribbles we couldn't understand. I could've sworn it was writing, something I could read naturally when in spirit form. It seemed that overall, I was limited to the cat's understanding of things when in its body. Our eyes and mind weren't accustomed to reading.

We tried writing, seeing my disability as a big complication. We strayed from the streets and found a patch of dirt and sand. We sat down and concentrated. We tried with all our might to form a word into letters, but lines just mashed up against each other. We couldn't even recall on how to spell my name. Urami, Urami, Urami... there were the sounds, but the letters were unidentifiable. I thought perhaps using our paws might trigger some muscle memory... but alas, that, too, lead to a mess in the dirt.

So much for using an animal for communication. Perhaps some of my other spirit privileges would come in handy.

Back to the hotel situation. Finding it was a plus, and the only thing that was a problem was getting in, because a stray cat strolling through the front door was bound to be shooed out.

We lurked into the passage beside the hotel, seeing the gutter drains lining the wall to the ground. Certainly, we could use these to get up to the higher levels, but... we had to get used to scaling something so high and steep. I had seen cats do it all the time, or at least I thought I did.

We lowered our chest to the ground in preparation, legs ready to pounce. We mentally counted to three, then leapt up, claws spread wide. It was as hard as I originally thought... we screeched to the ground, nearly injuring ourselves. I didn't want to give the body of the cat back to it with a wound, but we had to keep trying. We tried again, more delicately and slowly. This was a good idea in its own part, because we learned quickly this way and managed to scale the wall pretty well. Now all that was left was searching for the right room.

We passed by windows, just poking our head in to see if we recognized anyone. Most were empty, and with those that were occupied with unknown people to us, we tried to get away as fast as we could, lest the person tried to swat us off. Our progress led us through the first floor, then the second, then the third. We were started to lose hope...

In the middle of searching the fourth floor, we poked our head around the edge and had our hairs stand on end. It was as if the persons we found before us were _waiting _for us, right at the windowsill. Two of them were armed with weapons we'd never seen before, but they were rather sharp. All three people at the window focussed on us, stiff. We were glad the armed ones didn't immediately attack when they saw us.

Staring at them, wide-eyed, we noticed that they looked different from what we was used to. The clothes of the armed ones were foreign uniforms, meant for stealth and quick movement. They were dark, too, like night shadow. One was an old man with hawk eyes, while the other watched through an oriental mask. We could tell it was a girl by her visible lips and gentle eyes. Finally, the third one present was a boy around _my_ age, with narrow eyes — his eyelids were shorter, we guessed — and long, black hair tied back. He had his hand on a sword in its sheath, we noticed, but he loosened a little upon analyzing us.

That didn't mean he loosened up completely.

"...it's just a cat," he said, straightening up. When he did so, we caught a glimpse of the people behind him. We perked up and cried out, which came out as a pleased meow.

Alphonse turned his head, and we heard him gasp in both surprise and delight. He left Winry for a moment and made a beeline for us. I wanted to believe that he was happy to see _me,_ but that wasn't the case. Our happiness in seeing him would make up for that.

The three people I knew nothing of stepped out of the way and let Alphonse through. He picked us up from under our front legs gently and held us up. We could sense his amusement, and we purred to him.

"You're the one we met yesterday, huh? You've got that spot, so you have to be... I wonder how you found me!"

We meowed again, and when we felt his grip loosen, we squeezed out, traveled along his arm, and nuzzled his helmet. He laughed, which made us very happy.

"You must be hungry, right? I bet we have something around here. Come on!"

I returned the cat back to its senses for its reward. Alphonse had turned and left for the kitchen, and the cat went with him without complaint. My feet met the ground once more, and I felt strange again. I guess I'd have to get used to changing my shape to fit animal anatomy, but that was old news right now. I looked around desperately, now at my destination.

...where was Edward?

Winry went to the kitchen with Alphonse, cooing at the cat. The washroom was vacant. The hallway outside held no one. The only other people with the two I knew were the three foreigners. I wasn't_completely_ rewarded with what I wanted. I smiled ruefully and envied the cat.

The armed foreigners didn't put their weapons away. I turned to them and quirked my brow. They were facing me, or at least in my general direction.

"You feel that, don't you?" the young boy whispered to his companions. He had a calm expression on his face, but his hand still touched the hilt of the sword.

"Yes. It's something we can't see, but I feel chi enough for one person," the old man returned. "Perhaps it's a demon, or unhappy spirit."

It took me a moment to realize that they were talking about me.

"Although, unhappy spirits often destroy things or cause disorder in their misery, so I may be wrong. At least, the old stories used to say such things."

The girl in the mask clenched her knife a little less. "So this isn't an Alkahestry matter. All in all, it's just a dead thing, then?"

In response to that, the boy frowned, then shook his head. "I don't know about that, Lan Fan... the dead don't carry such energy."

He moved a couple of steps away from his colleagues, and much closer to me. He looked straight through me, but I could tell he was searching for something. He sensed me.

"What I feel is very much alive."

Silence seemed to drown the last words, and I stared at him in wonder. Who were these people?

_Can you hear me?_ I asked him on instinct. He didn't respond to me, so I guessed not. But I found the human I would test my abilities on anyway, so my experiment wasn't over yet. Perhaps he'd be able to help me make my presence known. I didn't know what help it'd bring them to know I still existed, but it was a start. Maybe things would flow along.

I stepped up to him, cautious. He simply blinked. I lifted up my hand and saw his body stiffen. I swallowed nervously, hesitating; I didn't want to see his memories, because that was none of my business. In reality, I had no choice in the matter... Making up my mind, I pressed my hand against his chest.

The images passed by. I tried to close my eyes, and yet I caught the glimpses whether I liked it or not. I saw an extravagant palace that ruled a powerful empire in a land far away. I saw a king with many women at his side, and even more sons and daughters. Assassination attempts, schemes and competitions followed, and I had a feeling it continued today. The two people who followed this boy were ninja warriors, and he himself was a prince. A prince of the country of Xing.

I knew his name, and I knew his purpose. A desire burned powerfully inside him, reminding me much of someone I once knew.

I entered Ling Yao's body, and unlike the cat, I looked through his eyes in full colour. What's more, my consciousness didn't overtake his, so I couldn't possess him. Another deduction done and over with. Perhaps our...'chi'... were of equal value, and I couldn't overpower his. Oh well. On to the next trial.

_Can you hear me?_ I asked him again. He formed no reply, nor did he react any differently. I was growing aggravated. He couldn't even hear the thoughts channelled to him? Then again, Lust couldn't hear my thoughts, either. Envy wouldn't have either if I tried. All they saw were actual imaginings that their sins spawned.

That was it, then. I could only communicate through planting images. Sort of like dreams, I thought. But could a person have a dream occur in a completely alert condition? Before I could try it on him, Winry came back and smiled at us.

"Are you guys hungry too?"

Ling walked forward, immediately dispelling me without knowing it. He held a hand up to his temple jokingly, a sort of half-hearted salute. "Oh man, I'm famished! You don't mind if we call room service, do you? Don't mind if we do!"

I felt dizzy. I settled down for a few moments and decided to wait a little while. Perhaps I would confront the adolescent in slumber. I wanted to speak with Alphonse, but I knew fully well that he didn't sleep, and I feared that if I touched him, somehow I'd interfere with the blood seal holding him to this world. I could talk to Winry, but I didn't know on whether she'd believe my message as just a dream or not. Ling and his companions seemed the most preferable, as they believed in a plane that let them develop a sixth sense for. Out of the three, Ling was my best choice. I felt like I knew him, but that was because I meddled in his mind...

He seemed like a care-free person when it came to food, but I couldn't forget his collective expression from before. He was an interesting person, I gave him that much.

"You can stay with us for a little while." I turned my eyes to Alphonse, holding the replenished cat gently. Tickling it under its chin, he sighed. "I think I'll name you Urami."

I smiled hopelessly.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_

Dear oh dear... I couldn't sleep at all. The night passed by and now it's morning. Well, at least there's this lovely, thick fog outside.

...JEEZ. There are 84 sets of ellipses in this chapter! But I guess most of them are due to Sloth...

Well, I have mixed feelings about this chapter. I feel as if I was writing something that had no connection to FMA. As you saw, it was more of a spiritual adventure, with discoveries that don't serve for the plot, but rather serve explaining Urami's experiences. The only thing that anchors this to be anything related to FMA are the characters and Malice's point of view at one part. Also, I was worried I wasn't explaining Urami's abilities clearly...

Overall though, I'm rather pleased with introducing and tying in Fu, Lan Fan, and Ling. I hope they can provide some epicness to make up for my inactiveness :P

So I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I want you to know that your reviews are very muchly appreciated. Thank you to all who reviewed before; I enjoy conversing with you very much! :) If you're confused on what Urami can and can't do, it'll be explained next chapter, or at least summarized!

Have a nice day!

Vixen

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	29. Encounter

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 29

It seemed that I arrived just in time for explanation hour. That was good, considering that no one could answer my questions directly.

Edward was somehow 'abducted' by Louis Armstrong, who I remembered was that massive State Alchemist I had seen once before. Edward's automail was supposedly broken so the older man took it upon himself to escort him to Resembool for repairs. But that was not the case, because if it was, Winry was already there and could provide repairs herself. For real, he was removed because he'd get in the way. It was a degrading concept, and I laughed a little, feeling sorry for him.

Maria Ross was not killed at all. Mustang made it seem so, but he, using Barry the Chopper, rescued Maria. With the help of Fu —the old shinobi who sensed me—, she was relocated to the ruins of Xerxes. Ling himself agreed for her to flee to Xing as well.

Mustang and his subordinates were aiming to uncover the people involved in Laboratory Five, which meant the Homunculi. In my book, this made Mustang a good guy.

Fu and Lan Fan weren't present, so Ling was the only one remaining who could sense me. He didn't mention it to Alphonse or Winry though. He was keeping my presence in low key. I could tell he hadn't forgotten me, though.

For his explanation, Ling expected something else in return, and that was Alphonse's secret. Apparently, he originally wanted Barry to tell him, but his scientist was long dead. Ling wanted a secret to immortality, and Alphonse seemed like a candidate to tell him. Now, I was so used to Greed and his ways that it felt like he was still alive, in this boy's body. The only things different were a more selective greed, a drop in suavity, and a less virile physique.

Things, however, took a change of course. I expected Ling to persistently get the secret of the soul out of Alphonse, but we heard a loud, distant explosion. Behind Ling I spotted a bright circle in the sky, burning and lingering. Ling looked back at it with a calm expression.

"Uh oh. It's started."

Ling proceeded in slipping into his shoes, and I watched in puzzlement. I had little clue on what possibly could have started...

"What's that?" Winry asked, looking out the window and seeing the orb that started to dwindle. "A firework?"

"Mm... a counter-attack signal is more like it. This is gonna be the first battle of the war between your guys and _them._"

"Are you going to fight with us?" Alphonse asked him. Ling considered the ceiling.

"I promised myself that neither I nor my companions would get involved in the affairs of this country. But maybe the people who're lurking underground know something about immortality, or this Philosopher's Stone. That is something I'll do anything to possess.

"And you? Are you coming?"

Winry and Alphonse exchanged looks. Ling waited patiently until Alphonse spoke.

"...I might be able to find out about those who killed Mr. Hughes. He helped us so much when he was alive, and we're also responsible for his death. We have to see through this to the end."

This Maes Hughes really was an important person to the boys. I remembered how Edward looked when he told me about him; he visibly was upset that he died, and held the memories dear. I wish I'd known the man, to see how kind he was.

"Are you going?" Winry asked Alphonse for verification. Alphonse responded affirmative. "... tell me all about it when you come back, okay?"

Alphonse handed Winry Urami, the cat named after me. "Okay."

"You will... come back, right?"

Alphonse promised. I had to smile at his determination. Ling smiled too, and he sat on the windowsill, with one leg out the window itself and a hand on the side-frame. It was a wonder that he intended to exit outside from the fourth floor, but he was full of surprises anyway. It was a pity that this battle didn't happen the next day, because I couldn't have the chance of approaching him in his dreams yet. That couldn't be helped, though. Perhaps I'd get the chance when we got back... if nothing bad happened.

I didn't know exactly what was happening where that signal was set off, but as Ling said, it was just the beginning.

* * *

Far to the south, while a struggle was about to begin, a forgotten boy wandered in the wilderness, a bag strapped to his shoulder. He was as thin and harmless-looking as he always did, perhaps a little thinner. The part that seemed harmless about him was his face, a soft visage with delicate formations for a boy. The only difference about him now were his eyes; they were a lot more solid, with not one trace of a whimper in them. They regarded his surroundings without fear, and looked forward. His gaze to the future was uncertain but the resolve outmatched it.

Departing from Korius was both relieving and difficult. He had grown up there for most of his life, and after his mother died in his early childhood, calling the place home was all he could really do. Being taken in by Margaret and having a family of lost children gave his life meaning, but when they were all taken away, he was just... living, with no purpose at all. He was living just to pass the day. For a whole year, he had to live with the fact that the man who took all of them away from him was still living and ruling over Korius. And the boy lived in fear then, in a fear that the Alchemist would come for him next. No means of revenge could defeat him, so the boy had no chance and he was left sitting on his hands.

Then I arrived that day, in the early hours of the morning. Meeting me threatened the lifestyle he unintentionally adopted. At first, he resented it, but then something good came out of it. He was able to see Margaret — practically reincarnated —, and as he thought about it, he also glimpsed the other children in me. He was frightened in the beginning, but it was destiny calling to him when my arrival brought upon the events that followed.

The Alchemist was killed, and the men that followed him scattered. The woman who followed me into Korius — Izumi Curtis — had promised the sealed-existence of the small community, and so they were both safe AND saved.

But the boy couldn't shake off what he saw of me, deep in the mansion. He thought it was me at first, the one they all called Urami, but he realized I'd changed. Perhaps I'd gone completely insane from the truth. He had no true way of telling that, but he yearned to see me again and prove that I was the same, dear person. That I was still his foster mother. He would never believe that Margaret was a murderer.

But what could a malnourished, helpless boy like him do? _Really?_

After those events, the Alchemist's house was pronounced condemned, and no one wanted to step foot in there. The farthest the people went was down into the incline to get the water he previously hoarded for himself. The people of Korius planned to tear it down, and burn everything inside. Everything inside was sordid and cursed. Despite this, the boy found himself compelled to go there. What he saw down there was _power_, and he was tired of being weak.

He found the Alchemist's stronghold; his notes and books. Pages upon pages of alchemy laws and rules. The boy found himself lost in their words for days. Many of the notes were coded, however, and he spent much of his mental health trying to decipher them. In the end, there was much he didn't understand, but the basics...

He trained himself in alchemy.

The people knew the boy well. Seeing him dab in the art of alchemy caused them to be restless. Would this cursed area of science taint the boy's good heart? They stayed away from him as he taught himself. The boy knew and didn't blame their reasonings, but he had to make something very clear to them. He wanted to learn alchemy to help people. He wanted to be the opposite of the Alchemist, and prove to be much, much greater. And so, he found a new purpose in life.

But why was he out of Korius? He was traveling to Central, up north. He was too inexperienced to try to become a State Alchemist, and even if he was experienced enough, that was a profession he didn't want to take up. He heard many things, and he refused to act under the military on their every order, both good and bad. No, he wanted to go because the State Alchemists themselves were there, and therefore, Edward Elric was there, too. The Fullmetal Alchemist. The boy wanted to ask for a little help, to ask him questions. The Fullmetal Alchemist wasn't that much older than the boy, his involvement saved Korius, _and_ he seemed like the best person he met to consult. He trusted him.

One of the things he wanted to talk to Edward about was human transmutation.

In the Alchemist's notes, the boy uncovered the secret to creating life. In order to become greater than the Alchemist himself, the boy saw it in himself to exceed in this task... but he knew the price. His whole family paid it. The thought of bringing back loved ones was a wonderful, hopeful feeling, but he wouldn't. Contrasting that, it was the only way he could see this 'Truth' the Alchemist mentioned.

The boy devised a transmutation, but not exactly a human one. He found a dead rat one day, and collected its body for this venture. He then went out to get something of equivalent exchange, and by his logic, that was a _live_ rat. He felt terrible for choosing the creature's fate for it, but he had to be strong. It wasn't human transmutation, but it was still bringing life back. Human life or beast life, there was no true difference in the boy's mind.

Upon trying to bring the dead rat to life, two things went wrong. Firstly, the product was a failure; the thing was morphed and no longer recognizable as a rat. It died upon breathing its first breath. Secondly, the payment was not completely enough; the boy's left ear was taken, too. He had to rush out of the mansion and seek help, or else he would have died of blood loss. The people of Korius, regardless of how they resented his practice, offered their compassion. They treated the wound and wound his head with bandages, and for many days, he rested.

They didn't know what he was trying to prove or gain, but his satisfaction frightened them. They couldn't understand. He failed the experiment, but he achieved the goal.

Needless to say, Truth laughed at his face. _You? You want to transmute life and you bring back a beast? I guess that's smart in its own sense, but you're not even a qualified alchemist student. You're just a child. Then again, ALL you alchemists are children. Foolish, foolish children... if you want to the truth so bad, have it._

The boy paid a little price for what he did, and still, he got to see Truth. After he recovered from the shock, he tried to perform alchemy again. Instinctively, he clapped his hands together like praying to the heavens, and he created something without a transmutation circle. He was limited in what he could create, as expected. His feat wasn't exactly human transmutation, and so his ability was only able to create little things. Nothing like what Edward could do. Nothing like what the Alchemist could do. But he was going to keep trying, to improve, and see where that leads him.

His ear was a gaping hole when the blood stopped, so he continued wearing a cloth around his head. Not long after recovery, — which was today —, he embarked on a journey to the north. He promised to come back to Korius as a talented alchemist and help them live happier lives. The people saw him off with good spirits, and promised him that he was always welcome back home. They believed with regret that he would fail, but they hoped their belief would be short-lived.

The path Tom Amsel tread was an old one, with much of the undergrowth venturing and infesting the gravel. He had no money to buy a train ticket, and he was done with stealing. He enjoyed nature anyway, and knew how to survive in it. He carried in his bag some belongings, food and water, and a few of the Alchemist's books. His pocketwatch, all that was left of the father that died before the mother, was strapped to the loop of his pants. At least his clothes were clean, and that was much thanks to the poor tailor in Korius. Around his neck he wore a hoop he found and recognized on day, and he planned to return it to its original owner.

He saw the sun descending into the horizon.

"I'm going to have to find a spot and camp out," he murmured to himself. He had consulted a map before he set off and roughly judged his progress. He laughed humourlessly. "As if I'd arrive on the first day anyway. I'm not even past Rush Valley yet."

He stopped trekking down the path and stretched his arms high, trying to reach for the sky. Once rejuvenating himself from his long hike, he turned and strayed from the path, looking for a clearing to settle down and build himself a fire. The branches and leaves caught on his clothes and in his hair, but he brushed them off.

Of course, the bad thing to happen with low branches and leaves was the chance of walking into a spider web, and Tom did just that. Better yet, one with a mother spider and younglings. More of a nuisance than a threat, but it had a dire result. The spider babies were just about to take off with their little parachutes when he didn't react fast enough upon seeing them. Any person disturbed by an army of eight-legged arachnids would scream hysterically in Tom's position. He was used to living in the dirt, and many creepy crawlies lived _in_ the dirt, but this was ridiculous. He jumped away, cursed, and danced around, trying to dispel the visitors. They slipped into his clothes, and he swore he could feel them nibbling in self-defense. He continued to curse, twisting around and walking backwards without realizing it. He was too distracted.

"Well, this is a good way to end the day—!"

His last word climbed an octave when his foot met nothing behind him. His body dove backwards, down a steep drop of the land, head over heels and vice versa. He crushed some bushes and stalks on his way down painfully, and when a tree finally stopped his body, he remained stationary until everything stopped spinning in his vision. Having a bag full of books and a canteen of water didn't help his back, and he was worried about the food's condition.

He sat up, and when he moved his leg, he winced. A shock of pain tormented his ankle, and very slowly, he brought it closer to him to inspect. He wasn't much of a doctor, but he could conclude that his ankle was sprained, maybe even broken. He fell far, and he was falling so fast it was possible.

"Great," he grunted. He found some more spider younglings fleeing the scene, and he had to shake out the ones that couldn't make it. Their curled bodies disappeared in the underbrush as he struggled to his feet, relying on the tree he crashed into. He shifted his weight onto his good leg, considered the place he stood and sighed. Trying to see if it would hurt to walk, he touched his wounded limb to the ground. The pain shot up. He scolded at himself for being so careless.

He had no chance of climbing back up to where he was, so he sat back down and started to descend slowly on three limbs and buttom, hoping that the land would level out. Good thing that the bottom wasn't that much farther.

Once he reached the bottom —an area with fewer trees—, he moved toward a tree a little ways down that was split by lightning, feeling a little better at the convenience. He took a piece and tore it off with great effort. Peeling off any potential splinters, he managed to make himself a walking stick. Leaning on it, he found it to be strong enough to support him and prove to be a good replacement, at least for the time being. Next he needed to find a spot to make camp, then make his ankle a splint to help recovery.

Something was wrong, though, when he limped further into the clearing. The ground creaked, _shifted_, and before he could do anything, the ground beneath him collapsed, and he cried out in alarm. Down into darkness, landing harshly on bedrock a few metres below. He shouted in agony; if his ankle wasn't broken before, it was now. Dirt rained down even after his fall, pelting him from above until it stopped, leaving a moderately big hole.

Gritting his teeth, he peered into the dim place he found himself in, once the dust of the rubble subsided. It seemed to him as if he fell into a underground tunnel, as it went on one way, and when he looked the other way, likewise. He coughed and, using the stick he had managed to clutch onto, got to his feet. Standing up, slightly hunched, he looked to the ceiling. With his ankle, he had no way of climbing out. He reached up; he was a foot or two too short to touch the edge.

Tom felt like crying, honestly. He was a deal lot tougher than he used to be but he still had his limits, and he was only a boy. His ankle was broken, he was trapped in a tunnel of unknown origin, and there was no one around to hear his call for help. What could he do? He could make a step or two with alchemy, but even then, the ground was definitely too unstable to walk on. The helplessness, the pain, and the impending loneliness wasn't helping him at all.

He chided himself, chasing the tears away. He had to be strong. No big deal. He figured that this tunnel had a destination. He looked harder, and he managed to see outlines of boxes. He limped over to them, and feeling around, he felt an object made of metal and glass. He lifted it up, and using the fading light of the hole, he recognized the shape to be a lantern. So this tunnel was made by people, and perhaps he'd find someone down here.

Finding the materials, he ignited the lantern. He smiled weakly, and packed up on additional oiled wicks and matches. As he did so, he could've sworn he heard something, and stayed silent, heart beating a little faster. It sounded like whispered voices, but no one was here with him. It must have been the wind...

Before hoisting himself up using his walking stick, he gasped when he thought of something, and he reached up for his chest. Good; the hoop was still intact. It was rather important to him, even though it wasn't his.

Standing, he faced one direction of the tunnel. He had no idea if this was the right way to go, but he had no choice. He started set out into the darkness.

The farther he went on, though, the tricks of the wind followed. It was as if the shadows themselves had voices. He continued on.

* * *

"_You humans really are foolish, weak, pitiful beings."_

Those words were cold and suffocating, but I could not take them as more than what they were; lies.

Witnessing Lust die a fiery death both disturbed me and relieved me. I came in too close to losing someone close to me, and I had to act.

Well, the events went by fast, and I'm sure me trying to explain them wouldn't give them much justice. All you need to know is that Alphonse managed to get to the door that I escaped the Homunculi out of. The wall that separated the room from the rest of the institute —Laboratory Three, I found out— had been removed, as if we were expected. In a way, we were; Barry's old body lead us there, and Lust closed in on us from our only exit.

Now, before I go on, there were things I learned. A soul that doesn't below will be rejected by the body. That was something I found sense in, and it was the sole reason why I couldn't possess a person. An animal was a different matter, since it had little protest to a spirit only temporarily looking for control. Malice was not rejected from my body because she was born with me, with equal right, and she was just simply abusing that right into her favour. I couldn't take back my body because it would reject me. Lastly, I realized that Alphonse was another case of soul-and-body compatibility... I was worried that his body would reject him before he gained his true body beyond the Gate.

With that aside, I also managed to do something I didn't know I could. Alphonse stood in Lust's way to protect someone, a woman named Riza Hawkeye. He showed us that he had seen Truth, for he transmuted a spear without a transmutation circle. I had hope for him, but not for longer than a second. Lust slashed his weapon to pieces.

The next few seconds, I saw Lust's attack as if time slowed. She intended to kill everyone there, including Alphonse, even though he was a confirmed sacrifice. I knew that her attack was directed for his blood seal. I couldn't let that happen...!

Impulsively, I had entered Alphonse's armour and gathered myself in front of the blood seal, like a small bundle of invisible cloud. Immediately, I knew this was different from actually entering a body and seeing things through their eyes. The body I entered wasn't living, and so all I did was enter a casket without controlling it. Touching his body allowed me to see the memories the body carried, from the very moment Edward had to sacrifice his arm... but that was not what I needed to focus on. With all my might, I tried my best to protect Alphonse's core.

Lust's fingers struck into him, but not where she intended them to. I didn't know if she was confused or not. I was certainly confused, because I was actually able to deflect Lust's incoming attack. Not with my actual essence, but with the aura around me. Now if only I knew how to do it again...

Not long after that, when Lust pretty much destroyed Alphonse's arm and helmet, the Flame Alchemist named Roy Mustang appeared and commenced destroying Lust. As I said before, it relieved and disturbed me. At least Alphonse was safe, and he no longer needed me.

Lust turned to dust. The others gathered themselves up and looked for doctors to tend to Mustang's wounds, as well to the other soldier, Havoc. They were going to pull back instead of proceeding through the Door. They were so close, and they could discover what was really going on, but I couldn't see them accomplishing anything as they were. Wounded, outnumbered, and outmatched. I wouldn't be able to protect Alphonse again if he continued on.

Aside from my subtle interference, my coming wasn't exactly all pointless.

_So you came back._

I turned around and was startled to see Lust standing by the Door. Her arms were crossed over her bosom and her skin looked even more white than usual, practically glowing.

_Lust_, I confirmed. She nodded, smiling. My chin dipped, and I growled. _Please tell me you're dead._

_Of course. Thanks to that man. _She shot a cold glare in Mustang's direction. Medical associates finally arrived with Hawkeye, pulling in a stretcher as others went to find Havoc. _If only Father could restore my Stone. But it's been destroyed beyond his grasp, and my soul's been released._

_Soul? You?_

_Why the look of doubt?_

My eyes shifted in puzzlement, looking in different places as if I'd find the answer there. _You're just his sin, aren't you? A sin personified?_

_We may have started out like that,_ she agreed, _but when you start living life, things change and develop over time. I do have a soul. How else am I here, before I move on?_

_Move on to where, to paradise?_

_Paradise? When you have a soul, what you've done in your life reflects where you go. Darling, I'm going to Hell._

I had no problem with that. Lust certainly did some terrible things, and just because she had a soul didn't mean that she was good. But I always had that strange sympathy for even the most evil of people, and I didn't think anyone deserved suffering.

I couldn't help but think of Malice. If Lust had a soul, so did she.

_Will... Malice go to Hell, too?_

_Likely. That is to say... if she doesn't give in to you._

_What do you mean?_

_You're her human side, aren't you? I don't know how you've come back, and how Father failed to destroy you, but as long as you exist, Malice isn't a sin. You have a chance._

My eyes closed tightly, overwhelmed with frustration. _Malice can't see me. I don't have a chance._

_Your self-esteem is depressing. _Lust's body started to disintegrate much like how she died, turning to ashes. I guessed she was on her way to judgement. Her eyes narrowed when only her head and shoulders remained, slowly disappearing.

_A soul is immortal. Don't you think the immortal have no bounds?_

Before I could retort, she was gone.

* * *

I didn't think that Lust intended to encourage me, but that was the least of my worries. We were back where we were, in the hotel, and it was late in the night. Sleep would overtake the residents there, and that included Ling.

He had gone and fought Gluttony and Envy. I saw it when I touched him. They put up a good fight for humans. Lan Fan was able to kill Envy several times. Envy was getting so frustrated that he ordered Gluttony to 'swallow' everyone in sight, a term I didn't understand, but a voice stopped him. It was warped and dark, and it seemed to come from all around. It was then that I heard the real Pride. I took this as reference, in case he 'appeared' again while I was present.

But I digress. What I anticipated after each minute was for the moment Ling fell asleep. I still wasn't sure on how dreams worked, but I had to do it now. The Xingese visitors set up mats in the corner of the main room, while Alphonse sat, sleepless as usual, in the bedroom, where Winry slept in one of its beds. The cat named Urami was most likely keeping the brother company. Lan Fan was fast asleep, Ling was lying awake on his back, and Fu was sitting at the window keeping his bearings.

"You should sleep, young Prince," Fu said to him. "You and Lan Fan have worked hard today."

Ling didn't respond for a moment. "They're still here," he finally said. "It's like they're waiting for something."

_For you to sleep, _I sighed with draining patience.

"Take this." The old shinobi pulled something from around his neck and gave it to Ling. The prince analyzed the pendant that hung from the woven string, then looked up at his protector for an explanation. "If it is a demon meaning you harm, that charm will keep it from ever touching you. You will be able to sleep soundly."

"I didn't say I was afraid to go to sleep..." Ling started, but he lost interest in continuing that argument. He placed the necklace around his neck and shifted onto his side, closing his eyes fully. It would take him time to fall asleep, so I chose not to investigate the charm just yet.

When I was sure he was asleep, I left my seat and knelt at his side. His breathing was smooth and undisturbed. My eyes looked down at Fu's pendant, and I wondered if it would ward me off, too. Even though I wasn't a demon, I was a spirit. Well, the idea seemed foolish anyway. How could an inanimate object discard me? I inhaled breath as if I needed it, preparing myself. Then I plunged.

Everything was in darkness for a long time. Wandering, I continued on in the abyss. It reminded me greatly of the time when Malice first banished me into our mind, where the memories of the children transformed the ground into plains. The time seemed to drag on just like then, too. Perhaps my surroundings were black here because he was asleep. Whether or not the mind-businesses were similar, I was getting tired of wandering.

That was until I found something _not _of the darkness. I saw Ling, sitting a few meters away. His arms and legs were folded, and a smile plastered on his face announced that he had been expecting me. I stopped when I saw him, and after a minute of just staring dumbly, I approached him more slowly.

"Hi," he greeted when I was halfway to him. I stopped again.

"Hi."

"Come on. Sit with me. Don't be shy."

The one thing I had been yearning so much recently was social interaction, for someone to see and hear me. Now that I got it, I felt like I'd forgotten how to react. It was different from seeing Lust; she was already dead. Ling was very much alive, and he could see me. I bit my lip, and I continued walking toward him. When only a meter separated us, I sat down, crossing my legs like him. His smile stretched a little more.

"Okay. You must her, then."

"Who do you mean?" I asked.

"Ever since that cat came by, you've hung around. We sensed you."

I couldn't believe he was able to connect the two coincidences and accept them this quickly. Did he believe this a dream, or not? "How were you able to, exactly?"

"The people of Xing train the body and soul. We've developed something like... a sixth sense, if you will. Only those who deal with exorcisms can see and communicate with spirits. But..." he trailed off for a moment, thinking it over. "...why is it I can see and speak with you? Are you alive or dead?"

I pursed my lips at the latter question. I didn't even know that myself. I mean, I was never dead in the first place. I leaned forward as if bowing, showing a little respect in my request.

"I need help."

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N_: Hmm.

Sorry for this chapter being much shorter than the ones before. I just felt that, in this one, it was more describtive paragraphs than actual dialogue, and I didn't want to do an overkill. Also, I've been distracted by another show and obsession, and I've already started a new story because of that. I doubt it'll get many reviews, but fanfiction's supposed to be fun to write, right? I'm currently in this obsession's mood, and I'll be thinking about it a little more.

Anyone heard of Storm Hawks? XD

Yep. I'm obsessed with a kid's show. But it's a pretty kickass one! And hilarious. Well anyway, that's the story on the side. I hope that I can juggle between these two, because I love both FMA and SH. Usually juggling leads to entire hiatus (as seen from my other stories...) but I hope this won't be the case. Anyway, yeah.

Hope you liked this chapter regardless. Did you forget about Tom? I hope not :D He wasn't useless you know! Ask me any questions that you still have, okay? Bye!

~Vixen


	30. Dreamweaver

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 30

"I need your help."

I didn't actually think that Ling would help me for free. I knew that. I was a stranger to him.

"Who are you, anyway?"

Well, at least this was a start. I placed a hand on my chest for an introduction.

"My name is Urami. I'm... a homunculus."

Ling's eyes sharpened. "Homunculus?"

"Quite like the ones you fought today," I admitted. I saw his shoulders tense up, and I wish I hadn't told him so soon, but how could I build trust on dishonesty? That didn't get me anywhere before. "But I'm different."

"...that's true," he said. "Those things we faced... we could feel many people inside them."

"Yes. And if I was in my body, you'd feel them inside me as well." I thought of the children, now in freedom's embrace beyond the Gate. Their souls were at peace, but their energy still remained within Malice, and she gained only _more _souls in consuming Danté's Philosopher's Stone. "You see... I'm more of what they call a 'human side'. I used to be on the homunculi's side, but I realized I wasn't bad. So they—"

"Now hold on," he said slowly. My train of thought crashed into a wreck, sputtering to a stop. I gaped at him until he decided to speak again. His eyebrows arched and he held up a finger, as if he literally was 'pointing something out'.

"I don't think I'll remember any of this as it is."

"What do you mean?" I asked, bristling. This was very important to me, and entering his mind was hardly anything that happened twice, so how could it be easy to forget? He seemed to catch my bitter edge, and his hand opened up to accompany his helpless shrug.

"Even though we don't remember half of them, our minds always dream, every night. Only the flashy dreams get remembered."

"_Flashy?"_

"Er, so to speak, the much more memorable ones. Nightmares work the same way."

My lips pursed in thought. It was good that Ling mentioned this before I went into anything serious, because it saved me the trouble of repeating myself. So I had to make things more memorable? True, the two of us sitting in darkness wasn't exactly _that_. The only thing that I found wrong with this dream business was I didn't exactly know how to _do_ it.

I voiced this to Ling. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand _how_ to make it memorable."

"Well, use your Chi."

"Is that what let you sense me? My 'Chi'? What is it, anyway?"

"Well, everything living in this world has an... inner energy. This Chi also flows in the natures of things, from the mountains down to the plains. It usually all deals with Alkahestry, Xing's form of alchemy, but we are also trained to maintain good Chi."

Inner energy. Maybe it was that which helped me protect Alphonse? My Chi must have been able to gather itself and make a shield. It was reassuring to know that it wasn't just a lucky fluke, but I needed to learn how to control it. Ling could help me with this as well.

"So you're saying I could make you a dream with this Chi of mine?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't had the dead visit me before."

I didn't retort at him for calling me dead. That would come later. Right now I was trying to organize an easy dream, one that I thought would make things a little easier. There had to be a lot of visuals and symbols, because that promoted the most effective memory. I closed my eyes.

"If you need help using your Chi..." Ling began. I waited until he finished whatever he wanted to say, but when he didn't, I opened my eyes and invited him to continue. He scratched his head. "...I'll coach you on. Let's start with something small first."

"What do you suggest?"

"...something tasty," Ling grinned. He earned a disbelieving look from me and could only laugh nervously in response. I had already seen his great optimism for food, but even in his dreams he was a glutton. He held his hands out, palms upwards. "You can start with a bowl of rice, or —oh! A plate of tempura! That's basically batter-fried fish and vegetables."

That actually sounded rather tasty, but I had a strange impression that it would clog my arteries... joking aside, I tried to visualize this plate. Fish, fried to a golden crisp, vegetables glistening with sauce... and noodles added for the heck of it. Now, the only way that made sense to me to make it appear in a dream was to collect everything I had, and...

An orb spun in front of Ling, sluggish at first, but then it took form. The steaming foreign dish hovered a moment until Ling reached up for it, looking down at it greedily. I rejoiced at my work, then imagined a fork. It, too, appeared, and Ling took it gratefully. He held it and the dish up and he rang out childishly; "Thank you for the meal!"

I rolled my eyes, laughing. Now, using my Chi in this way felt a little different from how I used it at Laboratory Three, but I figure that out later. I stood up, looked around, and decided how to make this dream happen. Ling's eyes followed me, even though his face was stuffed with noodles that still hung from his mouth.

"I'm going to do a little decorating."

What I had in store wasn't exactly _original _to me_,_ but I had too little time to spend thinking up creative ideas. I disappeared away from Ling's soul, until I was in a place that pretty much overlooked his mind like a miniature town diorama. I knew that what I wanted to portray needed a lot of focus, so I closed my eyes and gathered myself.

Colour stained the darkness and continued to ripple across it, giving it more vivid life. Ling, whose meal had long disappeared, stood up and looked around in wonder as things started to form themselves. I needed to twist his mind around things, and make sure he saw everything I wanted him to see. His surroundings loomed high, and the sky brightened into a cerulean blue, cloudless. If anything, it looked like a typical day in Central. The only thing lacking; the people. The city was silent of activity. That was an effort I wasn't going to bother with, and besides, this would make him pay more attention.

I introduced the first people to appear to him. Ling's eyes widened at the pair walking past him. Ling knew that the two of them cared for each other dearly, just by the way they walked so closely together. One of them was Edward, laughing, smiling. The other one was me, smiling softly and watching Edward in his bliss. A sadness crept across my reflection's expression. Her eyes strayed as they walked past Ling, and I made sure she locked eyes with him.

_My name is Urami. I was transmuted using the lives of many children, and was sent by the homunculi to kill the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric._

My reflection's eyes returned back to Edward's still-laughing visage, and her smile grew more gentle.

_But I fell in love with him._

The two images disappeared around a corner, and Ling, instinctively seeking control of his own dream, felt compelled to follow them. Of course, that was what I intended. When he himself rounded the corner, he found an alley. He went down said alley, and without warning, the stone walls turned into dense forest, until he came to the end, where he stood to an edge of a village.

_Since I felt for Edward, a lot of other humane traits developed. I yearned for my past... my origin. I was born a homunculus without memory. For the price of truth, I lost Edward, and upon learning it, I lost myself. A different person took my place._

Speeding it up, I made it so that, even though Ling was stationary, his surroundings still moved. Everything blurred to the part where I 'died' for the first time. I didn't think he expect something so violent, because he flinched at the sight, and horror touched his face. He saw my reflection's visage, and knew immediately of the impostor that rose from my blood.

_You will undoubtably meet this person before you, but do not be fooled. This is a homunculus you have to take seriously. Her name is Malice, and I lost control of my body to her. I used to be trapped, but I had been cut from her. Like a ghost, I came back down to earth to get it back, but I don't know how..._

Malice smiled viciously at Ling before I erased everything in smoke. When Ling cleared his eyes, I introduced him to a wide, beautiful field, colourful with spring flowers and a vivid evening. Petals danced in the wind and I approached Ling, wanting to make this as memorable as possible.

"That's why I need help," I said. I reached him and held my hands together. "I'm not sure if anyone can do anything about my problem, but I just don't know what to do..."

"Why me?" he asked. He lifted his hands up to elaborate further. "Why are you asking me for help?"

"You sensed me. Believe me, I'd very much like to contact Edward, and I'll try to when I get the chance, but you... I would really like to ask you to act as my mouthpiece."

"Mouthpiece?"

"I've already tried talking to you, when you were awake," I explained. "You couldn't hear me, even when I entered your mind. Now that I think about it, it felt closed to any spirit communication. All I could do was see your past—" I stopped short, realizing my violation. "—I'm sorry. I did so without permission."

"No worries. So you're saying that I should try and open my mind, and when I do, I'll be able to talk to you?"

"I think so. I'm still getting the hang of this mind business. But until then, all I can really do is visit your dreams."

"What's this 'mouthpiece' request, then?"

I closed my eyes. "It'll be more effective when you learn to hear me, but for now... I know that, one of these days, Edward will return. Just... tell him that I'm alright when he gets back. I want to see how he'll take it."

"Aha," Ling said, smiling as if he understood a deeper meaning. I felt my face blush a little and he started laughing. I started to laugh with him when his grew in crescendo.

"I don't want you to tell him anything too mushy from me! That'd be too weird coming out of your mouth!"

"I know, that was what I was thinking! Alright, I'll do that for you. So... 'Urami says she's alright'? Is that it?"

I thought a moment. "And tell him that I'll visit him, too."

"No 'I love you's?"

Even though it was technically mushy, I was anxious to say it, and didn't want to deprive Edward of it any longer. I smiled.

"Dearly."

Ling smiled in return. I sensed his body starting to wake up, because I saw a flash of a sunlight hotel room take on his mind. He was half-awake, half-dreaming. I guessed it was already morning. Ling started to disappear, but before he woke up, he said;

"Nice meeting you, Dreamweaver."

Dreamweaver? I had to admit, I liked the sound of that.

* * *

Now, Edward did not return for another day or so, so my side of the story was sort of at a standstill. On the other hand, Tom still hadn't found anyone in his blind venture in the underground.

His food supply was getting smaller, and his foot was getting worse. The tunnel he found himself in had disoriented him, and he had no idea in what direction he was going in, whether it was north, south, or anything. He had reached a fork at one point, and unable to decide, he chose at random. He had a feeling that no matter what direction he chose, he was going to wander for a _long _time before he found anyone. Only the whispers of a non-existent wind still haunted him.

Tom didn't know how much time it was, but long after he fell, he found that he reached a wall to end the tunnel he was currently taking. Two ways continued on, one on his left, the other on his right. He sighed desperately at the sight, and he held his dying lantern up. Luckily he found another store of lantern wicks, and he limped over to it.

He set down his lantern, knelt on his good leg, and meant to reach for another set of wicks, but he had second thoughts. His body ached of weakness and exhaustion. Previously, he had managed to catch some sleep, but he always woke with a start. It was about time he took another nap.

He sat down, groaning when the littlest of pressure was put on his ankle, then he sighed again. He was also hungry, but he refused to eat just yet. He set down his walking stick, reached for the lantern and doused it a little, until it was a soft glow, representing the lingering hope in the darkness that surrounded him. He pushed his head back against the rock and closed his eyes.

It seemed like he only shut his eyes for a few seconds.

He heard the sound of footsteps down the way. When he came to, his lantern remained a simple flicker. He turned the key and set it as ablaze as he could. He tried to locate from which direction the footsteps were coming from. He picked up his walking stick, slid up the wall clumsily, and as he looked around, he looked in both directions.

Finally, an orb of light appeared around the corner, many meters away. It hung at the person's thigh in their loose grip, so he couldn't see their face. The figure stopped, and stood there for a few moments. They didn't lift the lantern to investigate, because Tom's lantern did most of the revealing.

"Please!" Tom called out. "I need help! I fell and—"

The figure swung the lantern in front of them and turned the key, killing the light immediately. The breath in Tom's throat died, and he held his breath to hear more. He flinched when he heard the other lantern smash to the ground, and the footsteps continued. Eerily, he waited in a cold sweat, his heart throbbing.

"Why the hell are you out of Korius, coward?"

Tom choked. He recognized the voice, and had memorized the coldness in it. He didn't have to see her to know. He instinctively stumbled in the opposite direction, to get away from the approaching threat, but he fell. His walking stick fell from his grasp, but he kept shuffling back on the ground, desperate. It was true that he was hoping to see her again, but right now he was in no condition to confront her. He swallowed, hoping to drive away his fear.

Finally, Malice entered within his lantern's light space, tainting shadows across her body and features, making her look more foreboding. She was dressed differently than the last time he saw her; her black attire matched the darkness, and she wore no fingerless gloves. The nodes and the sign that branded her were very visible on her pale skin. A look of scorn was carved into her face as she looked down at him, and he could only match it with a glare of his own. He needed to be brave.

"So, Sloth really _did _graze too close to the surface. Or perhaps it was in one of the tunnels leading here? We'll be demolishing those tunnels leading to Central once Sloth finishes, to perfect the circle..." Malice continued as if Tom was just scum of the earth, and she looked up at the ceiling. "Hopefully no one discovers the hole you made. Where did you fall in, exactly?"

Tom continued to glare at her, sensing Malice's aura in disgust. He was beginning to become very cynical; he found it very hard to find his foster mother in front of him. Malice looked back down at him when he didn't respond, flashing the violet in her eyes.

"Why won't you get up to greet me? It's rather rude..."

She took another step toward him, and he recognized a look of hunger in her eyes, a sadistic thirst. He shuffled back again, and this time, he incorrectly dragged his wounded foot. A yowl tore from his throat without his consent, and he clamped his teeth down to try and silence it. It finished as an agonizing hiss, but Malice already heard more than enough. Her advance quickened.

She laughed, "Broke your ankle, did you?"

"Get away from me! I'm warning you..."

"Warning me? What can you do?" Malice had reached him, and before he could do anything, she stepped down on his wounded ankle. He yelped, but he realized that she didn't push down completely. She was teasing him, and blackmailing him to stop moving. Her mirth overwhelmed her voice.

"You're pretty much helpless. I have to kill you, you know; you might mess up this tunnel, see. It's apparently my job to eliminate the possibility... nothing personal."

She applied complete pressure on Tom's ankle, and his cry echoed painfully down the tunnels. The pain was unspeakable! Malice smirked at his misery, watching him struggle like a worm.

"Finally, there's someone I can torture. I've been deprived of this for too long! This is going to be_ fun!_"

Gritting his teeth, Tom clapped his hands together. Malice recognized this gesture, but he couldn't possibly—!

She didn't react fast enough. The ground under Malice's feet shifted, and she stepped back immediately to gain her balance. Tom's transmutation formed a fist that plummeted up into her gut, sending her back a couple of feet. Since his use of Truth had its limits, his transmutation crumbled, but Malice had no knowing of this. All she knew was that Tom was able to perform alchemy without a transmutation circle...

As she recovered though, Tom quickly traced a transmutation circle in the dust from his previous feat. She cracked her neck while a surprised spark lingered in her eyes. She coughed harshly from the strike.

"I can't mess this tunnel up, huh?" Tom inquired bravely. "I beg to differ. If you come any closer, I'll blow up this wall, and we'll see how perfect your tunnels are!"

Malice's eyes narrowed dangerously. He knew immediately that he caught her, and that she was not_ in the least_ pleased. "How are you doing that, you little shit?"

"I've seen Truth. I tried to transmute life and..."

Malice's change of expression startled him for a moment, and he couldn't continue. She didn't look pissed anymore, or anything. A completely blank look overtook her features.

"You did... what?" she said. Her brows furrowed in disbelief, and one eye scrunched up while the other widened, making her look demented. "Transmutation? A _human_ transmutation? _You?_"

He hesitated, and tried to think as quickly as he could. If he told the truth, she wouldn't take him seriously, and would most likely ignore his threat and torture him to death. Aside from the disbelief, a startled look lingered, as if this was something she didn't expect, and if that was the case, he wanted to keep her guessing.

"...yeah."

"You're lying," she stated. She certainly seemed like she was hoping he was lying. Was seeing the Truth such a problem to her?

"No, I really did. Look." He brought a hand to hover by his lost ear. He turned his head to show her. "I lost my ear... and... I used someone, too..."

Saying that, he knew straightaway that Malice believed him. Pessimism disappeared from her face. But slowly, her lip curled. Contempt steeled her eyes, and he slowly realized the hidden implication in his bluff. His face tightened.

"How _dastardly,_" she commented, smiling coldly. "You're beginning to become just like _him, _then. Were you trying to create another me?"

A catastrophic fury enveloped Tom at her words. Comparing him to the _Alchemist_, was she? With his temper snapped, he couldn't think clearly, and didn't even care if he ruined the tunnel. His alchemy was more than enough. He clapped his hands together aggressively and almost slammed them be to the ground, if Malice hadn't interfered. She launched herself at him and landed heavily on him, grabbing both of his wrists tightly and restraining them. He bared his teeth up at her in angry protest. She eased her body, but her expression was still taunting and hurtful.

"Alright. I would have _never_ expected you to do that, let alone learn alchemy..."

Her eyes had wandered away from Tom's face, and her smile faded. She had seen that before, what Tom wore around his neck. She let go of Tom's wrist and snatched it, then ripped it off of him, snapping the strap. She stepped off of him and back a little, smudging the circle Tom previously devised. Looking at him one last time to make sure he didn't do anything, she looked back down at her prize. She twisted it in the light.

"What's this?"

Tom blinked at her angrily. "That—"

"It's just a hoop. Why would you carry this around? Is it some keepsake?"

"It's not mine—"

"Then whose_ is_ it?"

He bit down on his tongue, preventing his impatience to take charge. He closed his eyes tightly.

"It belongs to Urami."

"Who?"

Malice seemed genuinely curious. He opened his eyes again, to see her inspecting the hoop in confusion. Not only was she curious. She was intent on discovering something. Tom tilted his face horizontally, looking at her from a different angle.

"...Urami... she's you."

"'The hell are you talking about? _I'm _me. My name is Malice. I'm..." she trailed off, looking down at it. "No, wait. My human side. _Her_ name was Urami, wasn't it?"

Tom hadn't expected Malice to react as she did. He didn't think this would matter so much to her. She was very quiet, scrutinizing the hoop as if it had all the answers. He had the chance to attack her, or at least run away, and she would not have cared.

Apparently, she had forgotten about me, just as she had forgotten about Greed. She knew who we were, but not who we _were_ to _her._ In her memory, I was just something that tried to take control of her all the time; someone who slowed her down. My banishment was good to her in the beginning...

Her mind exploded with noise, and it felt like her consciousness would tear. Images poured through this tear, and she couldn't breathe. She couldn't react to this effectively, and in only a moment's breath, she crushed the hoop in her hand. She didn't realize what she had done until she tuned into the real world, and found the Ore covering herself. She didn't give it permission to. Was that her body's way of protecting her?

In the end, she was wondering what had happened. The images had slipped away, leaving her gasping a little.

She finally remembered about Tom, who still sat there, watching in uncertainty and horror. This was the first time he saw her in the complete Ultimate Ore, and the sight terrified him. Her slanted eyes narrowed a little as she settled back into their business.

"So, you've seen Truth," she verified. Her fingers rattled together, screeching. "You're a confirmed sacrifice, then. But... what am I supposed to do with you? Do we _really _need you?"

"_Spare him_."

Both Malice and Tom froze. The whispers of the wind... jumping shadows... for all that time, neither of them was ever alone. The voice that spoke seemed to come from every direction, just like Father's had at Malice's awakening. It wasn't like a growling beast or some type of monster. It was human's, but drenched with sin.

Sin.

"...it's nice to finally hear from you, Pride," Malice said slowly, dismissing the Ore. When her face was unveiled, she didn't look too brave. "Why didn't you converse with me? I was bored to death these past few days."

"_That would spare you from Father's ideal punishment, wouldn't it?_" Malice made a face. "_I've also been too busy monitoring this boy."_

"So you didn't bother killing him? Isn't that your job, to _cleanse_ these tunnels of intruders?"

"_It proves that my waiting was beneficial. This boy is a confirmed sacrifice. He'll be needed for the Promised Day."_

Malice said nothing for a few moments, her eyes piercing into the darkness as if she was trying to see the figure of her 'brother'. When such a thing wasn't possible, she looked back a Tom again, he nose wrinkled. She approached him again, and all he could do was tense up. She stood over him, and then, very quickly, she struck him at the temple. Black dots danced in front of his vision, then they consumed him.

"What will you have me do?" she said in an obedient tone, with an expression that showed displeasure, to contradict the sincerity.

Within the lantern's light, shadow cut it. Metaphorically, it was usually the light that cut the darkness, but here, it was the opposite. Tendrils of it brandished sharp teeth and gaping eyes, making everything surreal. Some of these tendrils scooped Tom up and pulled him into the darkness.

"_Come. Your assistance will be needed shortly."_

A grimace appeared on the younger homunculus' face at that, but there was no point in arguing. Tom committed an alchemist's ultimate sin, and he was going to be a sacrifice as punishment. Keeping him alive until the Promised Day was all that mattered, no matter how much her sin howled for torture. At least she had some fun with Tom for a while. It was interesting.

Malice picked up the lantern and followed the shadows that retreated slowly from the light.

* * *

Leading to Edward's arrival, a couple of things took place.

_Day One.  
_

Ling was finally able to speak to Alphonse about his body and soul. He was intrigued by it, excited by the idea, but Alphonse was positive that his body wouldn't last. He explained what he heard from Barry, which worried Winry to a huge extent. Ling believed Alphonse should simply transmute his body to something else, and continue living.

He awed about how convenient it was.

I could understand why Winry was so upset by that statement. It did have a nostalgic feel to it, though, remembering how Greed thought the same way. I really hoped Ling wouldn't die like he did.

Aside from that, Ling still couldn't see or hear me, but I could tell he was trying. He was right when he said he was most likely going to forget the dream's message, but he took my appearance seriously. The cat named after me —it already returned to its life in the city — reminded him of me, and when Alphonse was alone, he asked about the namesake. Alphonse fell silent and awkward, and not up to exactly explaining the situation, especially with his brother gone. Then again, I guessed he thought it would spare his brother the pain of it anyway, and he told Ling about who I was. He ended with me getting killed, dodging the business of me being a homunculus, but Ling connected the dots himself.

So he confirmed that I existed. He didn't say anything in response, even though I could tell he wanted to say something. The night of that day, I visited him again, and before I even greeted him, he asked me if I wanted Alphonse indulged. It flattered me that he waited for my decision, so my trust in him grew. I couldn't decide for a long while. Invited by his loyalty, I told him about how I was afraid to touch Alphonse, in case I messed up his blood rune. By the end of his sleep cycle, I still couldn't decide on what he was to do. I didn't know how the little brother would react to it.

"I don't know. I think it's best to not tell him anything yet. I want both brothers together on this one."

_Day Two._

Nothing happened much this day. Everyone was still waiting. Alphonse kept mostly to himself, with Winry sitting quietly with him sometimes. Ling made the most of it and used the extent of room service, since he wasn't allowed to go out into the public. Fu and Lan Fan would patrol the city on their own, as usual.

"I wish you could eat this with me, Dreamweaver," he said aloud at dinner, alone. I was surprised when he said that, but all in all, it made me smile rather widely. He continued to converse with me small tidbits, like stating the nice weather, how he felt about something, and how much he loved or hated a certain type of food (by the way, the food he liked easily outweighed the food he hated). To say the least, it eased me, and made me happy, just listening to him and knowing that I was the one he addressed. I didn't feel so lonely anymore.

I didn't know why Ling wanted to help me this much. I mean, I was already aware of his deep desire, so if anything, I thought he wanted something in return. Perhaps he thought _I_ could possibly aid him in his goal? I couldn't tell.

I dropped by in his mind again, this time to find that he was already in the midst of a dream. I don't know why I was so surprised, since human beings dreamed on their own. Ling's dream in general wasn't surprising, though; he was at a table, the surface practically _engulfed _by platters of delicious food. How could he think so much about food and not grow fat from it all? He inhaled the scents, and through the steam, he clapped his hands together. Just like last time —in the exact same tone, too!—, he cried; "Thank you for the meal!"

I joined him at the table, wishing I could enjoy the meal myself. He saw me and smiled goofily, unable to greet me as usual because his mouth was already stuffed. He tried to swallow as much as he had in one gulp, and by some dream law, he defied logic and devour all of it in one sitting. I wasn't going to stay long; I mean, watching a boy stuff his face wasn't quite one of my goals in life. I just wanted to ask him something.

"I remember hearing you say something," I steadily said. He took a napkin and dabbed it at his lips. "An oath, to not involve yourself in the affairs of this country, unless it had something to do with immortality. Are you involving yourself in my problem because you think _I _know something?"

"Do you?"

I hesitated. "Well, no, not more than you do. You know that the homunculi live on Philosopher's Stones, which are made of many, many people."

"Then there's nothing more, I guess. Unless you want to share how you managed to come back from heaven. And you're immortal this way, aren't you?"

I felt just as Alphonse must have felt. Ling was analyzing me as if my form was convenient, when I didn't so much as regard it as such. It was very _in_convenient when no one could see you. But that was Ling for you, trying to reach out for immortality to make it his.

"I came back so I can take back my body and make things right. When I was there... in 'heaven', I made a trade. Apparently when I die for a second time, I'll wander around in purgatory forever."

"You came back with that huge of a risk on your shoulders?"

I nodded without hesitation. My brow quirked. "So if that's all I can really tell you... then why are you helping me?"

"Can't a guy be nice without hounding for a price?" He took the next plate in line, gathered its contents and gobbled it all up. Once again, his dream allowed him to swallow it all without choking. He reached for the next meal as I gaped in confusion.

"Come on. You're in trouble, in need. At the moment, I'm the only one that can help you, and I'm not going to turn my back on you. Is that what your worried about?"

He offered me a platter of his fantasy. I laughed.

"Not anymore," I smiled.

_Day Three._

I had originally decided to wait very patiently for Edward to return, but the days were becoming longer, and me unable to speak to anyone was a huge_ tease_. So I thought that I would look around Central for a while.

Ling noticed my absence immediately, apparently. When I left, he was startled by the withdrawal of my Chi, and wondered if something had happened to me on my plane of existence. He had to remind himself that I was a free spirit, and not one of those ghosts locked in a specific haunting area. Still, he started to feel strange without me around.

I had fallen to curiosity during my day in the city. I had gotten into the habit of watching people's memories and temporarily possessing animals. I saw and realized that some people here had seen and met Edward and Alphonse, because they helped them in some way. One of these people was Sheska, who provided the brothers with Marcoh's coded notes from before. The brothers got her connections and she was able to get a job in the military information section. Even though I felt wrong to pry into their minds, it was a wonderful feeling, to live their memories. Especially the children; the young and innocent energy reminded me of what fun was. As for possessing anything, I finally knew how it felt to be a bird. To have wings, and to soar above the city...

Snapping out of my bliss of freedom, the sky was already starting to bleed into the evening, and I was surprised at how fast the day went by. The hotel residence everyone stayed at was in sight, and I was both happy and sad that it took me so little time to get there.

I came level with the fourth floor of the building, at the front. I was about to go around to the side, to the room everyone resided in, but strangely enough, I found Ling and Lan Fan in the hallway, sitting by the door. Puzzled, I landed on the window sill, and both of them looked at me immediately. Lan Fan gave me a neutral stare while Ling smiled.

"It's here again," Lan Fan said. "The spirit. Now it's in a sparrow..."

"I know, but it's harmless. Where did you say Fu was again?"

"He's still patrolling."

"Find him and bring him back in. We've already kept watch more than necessary, and he needs a break anyway."

Lan Fan knew better than to argue with him, not just because he was her prince. She pulled the mask from her back and strapped it on, the she stood up and approached my window. I hopped sideways to make room for her, and all she did before she left was side-glance at me. I didn't think she was that much up for the thought of a friendly spirit like me.

When she left, Ling held up a hand effortlessly, inviting me over. I swooped into the hallway and landed lightly on his finger. I tilted my head this way and that, the bird's habits already my own. He smiled down at me, then gently rubbed a finger under my beak. Needless to say, it was very soothing, and I found myself leaning in.

"I bet you're having an interesting time, being a bird," he laughed softly. He stopped, and this allowed me to get more serious. I looked at him, demanding why he was out in the hallway. He seemed to understand the look, which was rather impressive. "You're asking why I'm in the hallway, I'm guessing. Well, I'm happy to tell you that he's back."

My body perked up.

"Yes. Edward's back. Lemme tell you, he wasn't that happy to see me," Ling confessed, chuckling. "That's expected, since I've cheated him on some occasions."

I started to get all jittery. Finally! He came back! I was starting to worry that something may have happened to him on his trip.

It was time that I discarded the body of the sparrow, so I flew off to the window and perched myself on the sill again. I removed myself from the sparrow entirely, and now in full control of its body, it flew off into the evening instantly. Ling watched it go off, but since he sensed my presence, he knew what I had done.

"You probably want to see him. Well, he's in there; I don't think it'll be a problem for you to walk through walls, right?"

I smiled at him widely, even though he couldn't see it. I immediately went inside, to behold Edward in my sights once more.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N:_ And another chapter delivered to you! But with another cliffy... :'3

It breaks my heart to say that school starts in exactly a week for me. I dunno if I'll update any faster, but I'll try my best! And I'm going to try and see if I can get a job for the weekends, since I want to help the family in our money situation... but I digress, hopefully everything goes well and that I'll still have time to update for you all.

I enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Thank you for those who reviewed last time! I really like knowing what you're all thinking. Critiques are welcomed, and please speak up about any grammar or spelling errors I may have missed. XD

Bye!

~Vixen


	31. Sudden

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 31

The place where Tom fell was in a bright spot, so apparently Pride couldn't get out by himself. Malice jumped out of the hole and stood in the clearing, with the sun glaring down. She squinted, blinded. She was down in the tunnels for many days, with only flames to lighten her way. Her irises contracted, and she blinked painfully for a few moments. She sort of relished the freedom of the surface though.

Malice's shadow over the hole made it possible for Pride to come out and jump into the shadows of the trees. Tom had been swallowed up in the shadows, to make carrying him much more convenient. However, when Malice moved out of the way, letting sun pool over the hole, Pride's connection was severed, and the shadows around Tom immediately disintegrated.

Pride had given Malice a job to do, and that was to take Tom's unconscious body to a nearby makeshift village, inhabited by Ishbalan refugees. They were hidden very deeply, but Pride knew this country and all of its underground secrets, so he told her exactly where they were.

Malice's nose wrinkled. She didn't feel like doing the job and thought it was a waste of time. Pride commanded her to do so, as if she had no choice in the matter. In a way, that was true... Father held Pride in high regards after all. Tom's sprawled body seemed buried in the bush Pride dropped him in, and he groaned in his sleep. His ankle was too delicate to handle roughly. Not that Malice cared too much... but he'd wake up at the pain and cause her unnecessary trouble.

She approached him, then tossed his light body over her shoulders, holding his arm and thigh. She felt a vague tingle in the back of her mind, almost nostalgic. A spark of panic felt tagged onto that misty memory, and she wondered why she had a sudden urge to run for her life, to carry her load to safety. She shook off the feeling, and just like that, the memory dived into nothingness, forgotten again.

"_This tunnel will still be whole when you return so that you can enter once more,"_ Pride said. _"I'll destroy it afterwards because the hole will prove troublesome. Sloth is getting closer in completing the circle. When that time comes, you can return to Father."_

Malice nodded, and turned her back on the hole.

"_Malice."_

"You have something else to say?"

"_Don't think you can turn on us."_

Malice turned a little so that she could peer into the hole again. An eye opened up eerily, then it narrowed, as if a dark smile crinkled it. "_You may be Father's favourite for now, but that doesn't mean he trusts you. The moment you decide to run, we'll trap you, and finish you off for good. Understood?"_

Malice chose to refrain from what she was going to say. A smile crept on her face instead, as it was undeniably satisfying to have someone like Pride jealous of her. He was considered perfect, and yet she was more interesting to his Father than he was. She betted he felt like a neglected child, and it was a fun thought to have.

"Understood."

One of Pride's many eyes disappeared, and she knew he slithered away. Malice looked up to the sky and her eyes narrowed. It was late afternoon, she judged. The makeshift village was in a canyon near Rush Valley, in a place where no one could get to with vehicles. She'd get there before nightfall.

* * *

You know, when I thought about seeing him again, I expected an intense emotion to control the moments. I was right, but not in the way I thought I was.

As fluffy as it did sound... when my eyes rested on Edward, it was as if I'd fallen in love with him all over again.

Surely it'd only been a few weeks—two at the most— since I'd seen him last? It was in Dublith, when Greed and Malice had to retreat. I had to leave Edward behind against my consent, with his wounds and helpless expression. I was so relieved that Malice had spared him.

At the time, I could only have a glimpse of him. When I saw him now, I had plenty of time to actually take him in. I realized how much older he looked; he was around the same height, I noted with a giggle, but I noticed a few differences. His face was becoming more profound, stronger. His shoulders looked stronger too, with a confident posture. His eyes were sharper, and yet they held that same softness when he regarded those he held close to him.

Edward had already repaired Alphonse as good as new, saying how he had to stretch whatever was left of the armour to do so. Afterwards, he started to explain where he went, where he'd been, and what he'd done.

His visit to Xerxes was almost the same as Ling's story, but I could tell he was holding something back, especially when he glanced at Winry. A sort of remorse entered his eyes for a brief second, and I was able to catch it. Maybe he was hiding something for her sake, or he wasn't sure how to explain it. I'm sure he'd tell it in good time. I wasn't tempted to go sift through his memories and see them myself; I'd undoubtedly see them when I would enter his dreams. I figured that before entering a living being, I was to _know_ it. A part of a person lies in their memories.

What was more important in this conversation was that Edward was positive he would be able to retrieve Alphonse's body. He was determined that Alphonse's body was waiting there, and he promised his brother they were going to beat Truth out of there and bring it back. I had to smile at his determination. It was good to see those eyes of his burn with an intense, knowing flame.

It was later in the evening when Ling joined them. Edward seemed eased at his findings, his posture relaxed after his previous excitement. He was still in his normal clothing, waiting for his turn to wash himself. Upon seeing Ling, he didn't show any hostility, since he was finally feeling better than he had been for a long time...

"I've got something to tell you," Ling began. He leaned on the door frame that lead to the bedroom, and it was in here that they were all assembled. Alphonse was sitting nearby, and his attention was piqued. Winry, who showered first, had just returned with fresh sheets and stared quizzically at the party she returned to. I stood very still. This was finally it.

If I had a heart, it started to beat faster. The truth was finally being revealed. I didn't know what they could possibly do about my situation, but I wanted them to know I was okay. I was excited, and a smile spread across my lips.

"Can't it wait until morning?" Edward yawned. He threw his jacket into a chair and sat down on the bed he claimed his. "If it's about the room service, they'll take care of anything you want, and the charge will be on me. That's nothing new when it comes to you, so..."

"This isn't about food—"

"Whatever it is, it can still wait—"

"It's about Urami."

Edward stopped immediately. Alphonse's shifting was the only sound that followed, interrupting the silence for just a moment. Winry walked over to her bed and set her sheets down gently, with an expression that showed she was doing this subconsciously. Originally, I wanted him to confront Edward alone, but I didn't care at the moment.

"How do you know about her?" Edward asked. My smile faltered.

...Why had everything suddenly become so cold...?

"I took in a cat, Brother," Alphonse confessed quickly. "A few days ago, we took in a cat, and I named her Urami. Ling maybe wants to ask us about her...—"

"It's none of his damn business, Al. Why are you asking, Ling?"

"I'm not asking about her." Ling could already sense the same, strange coldness in the air, and I saw his shoulders square off as he pushed off the door frame. My smile was long gone, dread overtaking my killed excitement. "I've got a message. From her."

Edward's own posture stiffened. "Is this some kind of cruel_ joke?_ As far as I know, Urami never stepped foot in Xing, and she was... she was long gone before we even met you," Edward struggled for words. His teeth were slightly bared. "It doesn't make sense. You can't know her!"

Ling tensed up, seeing that Edward was getting riled up. I didn't know if it was the only choice he had, but I thought he wanted to prove his word true. So, he started dishing out everything about me, things that Edward and Alphonse would only know.

"Urami was a homunculus who was sent to kill you, wasn't she? She posed as a human girl with a lost memory. You made her a talisman that she always wore afterwards. She was transmuted from the lives and flesh of many young children, in a secret village called Korius. Her real name was Malice. But—"

"Alphonse!" Edward shouted angrily. Both Winry and I flinched.

"I didn't say anything, I swear!" Alphonse protested. He got to his feet and stared at Ling. "How did you—?"

"How the hell do you know all this?" Edward finished alternatively for his brother in a hiss. He was also standing up, rigid. "How does a prince of Xing know so much?"

"Edward," Ling started, holding his hands up, as if trying to calm the other down. There were no other words he could use to break it down delicately, and he knew that no matter what words he used, the other wouldn't take it easily. He took a breath.

"I've seen her. I've spoken to her. She's alive."

Edward's eyes burned with something that I only saw once before. I had seen that hate and anger when I lied to him in Korius. I knew now that things weren't going as I expected.

"What you saw was a homunculus, you know that, right?" Edward seethed. "And you let her get away? What were you _thinking?_"

"No! I haven't seen who they call Malice. Urami—"

"Malice and Urami are the same person!"

"You believe what Malice told you? You're going to listen to her?"

The Fullmetal Alchemist took a threatening step toward the prince. He was in the middle of retorting when Ling yelled over it, to send it crashing down;

"Urami is here with us right now! And she can enter dreams! She told me she will visit you too!"

"_Shut up!_"

Edward finally had it and snapped. He lunged at Ling and snatched him by the front of his shirt. This brought them stumbling into the living room. Lan Fan had returned with her grandfather, and she immediately brought out her weapons and planned to intervene. Ling shouted a command for them to stand by. Edward slammed Ling into the back of the sofa and clutched him there.

"How the hell do you know so much?" Edward hissed. He wouldn't accept what Ling said as truth. "I don't know how the hell you managed to get some _biography_ on her, and I don't like it. You're preaching to me about her, as if I didn't know anything about her! And now to top it all off, you're making up these stories, of dreams and... and ghosts? Do you take me for an idiot?"

"I thought you would take this seriously. And you know what? I think she thought so too!"

A metallic punch hooked around swiftly, landing across Ling's cheek. The blow knocked his face to the side. His servants' stances grew more intimidating, and Alphonse and Winry cried out to Edward in protest. I watched in torn horror.

"That's _too good _to be true," Edward shakily replied. "Do you know how honestly happy I'd be? How relieved? How dare you, to spin these lies of false hope! Urami never existed...!"

"False hope!" Ling exclaimed. Now _he_ was becoming angry. Not only was he being called a liar, but I —his friend— was being disgraced. He didn't like it one bit. "Lies! Have you just given up on her, is that it?"

Edward tried again to shut Ling up, but Ling wasn't going to take it this time. He smashed the fist away, grabbed Edward's front and stepped in a way that reversed their positions. Now Edward was the one being pinned. He glared furiously at the prince. Winry and Alphonse cried out, and through their struggling, I was lost.

_Have you just given up on her, is that it?_

_Have you just given up on her?_

_Given up?_

Had he really...? Did I hurt him that badly? Was my memory just too much for him to bear, that he chose to reject any chance that I was still around? I watched as he and Ling fought for dominance, and the rage in Edward's eyes was accompanied by a silent, almost unnoticeable... pain.

Just a few minutes ago, I saw him happy and at peace. That was a world of his where he didn't think of me. And now I came into the picture and ruptured it. Why did I have to come here, and ruin that for him?

I didn't know a spirit could cry. Mourn and moan, maybe, but shed tears? I shut my eyes tightly, with a pain inside me erupting. The fighting had to stop. My lover and my friend were at each other's throats, throwing punches.

_Enough!_

I inserted myself between the two of them, felt the intensity of their spiritual energy clash, and I removed them from one another. For one more time, I was able to harness my Chi and do something. I used it and pushed them away, with a force that sent them stumbling. Ling's expression told me he knew Edward hadn't done it. In contrast, Edward believed Ling to have caused their separation, perhaps with a kick. He wasn't going to ever believe that I existed separately from my sin.

There was one thing I noticed with a heart-break.

When I touched Ling, I felt a familiar feeling. It was because my soul was already acquainted with his. When I touched Edward, nothing happened. I didn't get any of his memories, or his thoughts. We were strangers. Because he didn't believe in me... I couldn't touch his soul. I wouldn't be able to enter his dreams.

I would never be able to speak with him.

The devastation could of killed me again and again, if it had the power. I removed myself from that place immediately in my despair. I already knew Edward was better off without me, but the truth of it still hurt me beyond belief. My hopes in joining with him at last seemed smashed to me. My soul went hurtling into the world outside, with no destination in mind, and I didn't care. I was gone.

Ling was alarmed by my departure, and he spun around. All he saw was Lan Fan and Fu staring at him in their own alarm. They had to have felt it too, but they seemed more concerned with his fight with the Fullmetal Alchemist. They joined him at his side as he searched around frantically with his eyes, as if he'd see me all of a sudden. His back was to Edward, who glared at him.

"The only way you must have known about her," Edward accused, "was by actually meeting her. She didn't kill you, and you let her get away. And for that, you are an enemy."

"He helped us against the homunculi himself, Brother," Alphonse objected. He didn't feel the anger his brother did. "He isn't an enemy."

"He has to be associated with them. He may be on our side _for now, _but my trust in him doesn't exist." After sharing a stern look with his brother, Edward turned to Ling again, who turned around to face him. "You're going to leave, and you're going to leave _now."_

Lan Fan looked like she was about to protest, but Ling stopped her. They would find another place to stay, even though he was a wanted illegal immigrant.

"Fine," Ling said simply. He waved to his companions, who immediately collected their scarce belongings. They faced the window, and Lan Fan was the first to go. Fu waited a moment for Ling, but when he received an order, he followed it through. Fu left, and Ling held Edward's gaze for a long moment before turning to go as well. Placing his foot on the windowsill, he paused.

"We hope, and sometimes the things we hope for never happen," he voiced. Edward stared at him coldly. Ling turned to him with serious eyes. "For some reason, we still hope for them anyway, even though we know the true results before they happen. It lets us adapt to sadness, then move on. Urami... the kind girl who fell in love with you is still alive and has the chance to come back, but you reject the idea. Please realize... that in rejecting the idea... you're rejecting her."

Ling left then, without waiting for an answer from Edward, so he didn't see his expression. Alphonse and Winry stood quietly. He didn't say anything for some long moments, standing there, with his arms rigid at his side. Winry approached him slowly, and lifted a hand to touch him.

"Edward," she said. He looked at her, but quickly adverted his eyes. He didn't want their glistening to be noticeable, especially by Winry. But she knew they were there.

"Why did you chase them away?"

"Don't tell me that you believe what he said?"

She didn't say anything right away. "I don't think Ling would lie. What purpose would that do? And besides, why does the idea of Urami coming back bother you so much?"

"It's not that I don't want her to come back," Edward whispered. He shook his head, shutting his eyes tight. The pain was too much.

"So you're done with the washroom?"

"Yes, but—"

"I'll take my shower then."

With that, Edward turned and passed Winry, who stood unmoving and confused, staring at where he used to be. Alphonse watched after his brother, but he knew now was not the time to follow. Edward grabbed his sleep-ware, entered the washroom and shut the door immediately. No sooner after that, he collapsed softly against it and slid down to the ground. Back against it, he curled up, hiding himself from the world.

* * *

Malice waited on the outskirts of the Ishbalan refugee camp, watching Tom closely. He was still deep in unconsciousness, which was beneficial. The reason why she waited was because many of the residents worked outside the perimeter, probably building and expanding so more of their kind could find shelter. When darkness fell, and the people pulled back, she would plant the boy there.

She was tempted to bend Pride's command, and keep Tom for a while. Something had been nagging her, and she was starting to question what Father had truly done to her. For sure, he banished me, her human side. But who was I? She couldn't remember, and she wanted to know why. The reason was unknown to her—since it was better not to know an enemy deeply, lest you empathize with them— but she found herself yearning for something deeper, something connected to me. Someone else was very special to her, but who...?

No, Tom wouldn't be able to help with that. He only knew things that happened before Dublith, which was the hazy piece of information Malice couldn't reach. He wouldn't be any help.

The fire had started in the middle of the village, where everyone gathered to collect its warmth. Malice sneaked by with Tom, who was beginning to rouse. He groaned, and luckily the people were too far way.

"Awake now, you brat?"

"Where are we...? Where are you taking me?"

"You're lucky. Somewhere safe."

Malice found a convenient spot in the path. She dragged her feet, making trails in the dirt, then jumped off the path. She dumped Tom's body down suddenly, and he shouted out in pain. He landed on his broken ankle. Again. Groans followed, and the footfalls of the villagers grew louder. Malice had long disappeared.

What the villagers found was a boy, lying in the road. The trails behind him implied that he dragged himself forward. They skittered toward him with torchfire, looking down at him. He's an Amestrian! some of them cried in their native tongue.

He's just a boy. Just a young, injured boy. He needs our help.

Tom wanted to protest when they picked him up. He had never seen people like them before, and a fear flickered. Foreign hands were holding him, and he didn't know where he was going. He had no way of running away, not with his busted leg. Their language confused him even more, and he didn't know what to do.

"Do not worry."

Tom stopped the struggling and focussed on one of the men. So he spoke the same language he did, and to say the least, it eased him a little. He still didn't know what was going to happen next, so the fear lingered on his face. The man smiled gently to try and reassure him. His red eyes were kind.

"Our village will welcome you. We will help you heal."

The boy stared at the Ishbalan for a long moment, unable to say anything. At least his body grew less tense. The others were able to pick him up, careful of his ankle, and carry him back to the village. Questions still buzzed around his head, but he supposed things would answer themselves in good time.

* * *

Many hours in the night, I wandered around in Central, unable to recollect my feelings and calm down. I felt anger, sad, resolve, but none of them stayed true, and they often switched with each other. The late night people around didn't help me either. Their liveliness only made my scorn grow. They were so happy, having the time of their lives! Why couldn't I have that happiness? Was it because of how much I sinned? My spirit felt so uncontrollable to me, and my Chi pulsed much more savagely. I unintentionally knocked garbage cans over and smashed empty alcohol bottles that stood in my path. Many of the people nearby were bewildered, but the possibility of a ghost never entered their mind.

It was only when I was completely alone in the early hours of the morning that I fell into a sense of sanity. When I was calmed, I scolded myself. Why did I storm out like that? Ling was trying his best to convince Edward I was still alive. Now I just damaged their connection.

_Edward must think Ling is an enemy now._

As painful as it was... I had to accept that Edward was trying to forget me. I had to respect that. I hurt him so much, so why did me returning make anything better? And besides, I started to doubt that Edward would believe something like that without any proof. He didn't believe in any religion, and his awareness or acceptance on spiritual things didn't really exist. I should have known that. Now that I had Ling bring up the possibility I was here, his own soul shut itself up against the idea of spirits coming back, and it rejected me. I didn't think it was Edward's intention to do that, but it happened.

I returned back to the hotel. All the lights were out, and no one slept in the living room. As I suspected, Ling was chased out. It felt strange to return and not feel his familiar presence... Luckily, I had a feeling that I would be able to find him later. It was faint, but I hoped I'd be able to find him and apologize for how things turned out.

I stepped into the bedroom. Winry was asleep in the bed furthest from the window, her back turned to it. She was sound asleep. Alphonse sat at the window, with his back to the sill, sleepless as usual. Edward was lying in the bed closer to the window, but I didn't think he was asleep. He turned in his bed between long moments of trying to get to sleep. His eyes often opened, staring out into the darkness of the room or out the window, depending on what side he was lying on.

Eventually, he sat up slowly. He placed his real hand over his face.

"Can't sleep, Brother?" Alphonse whispered. Edward gazed over at Winry, who was still sleep. He turned his back on her to face his brother, his legs hanging off the edge of the bed.

"I can't stop thinking about her," Edward responded sadly. I sat down carefully on the bed beside him, even though it was unnecessary. I just considered him closely, beholding the profile that pained at the thought of me. I wished then and there that I could erase myself from history.

"There's more to this world than alchemy. I don't believe that Malice totally destroyed what Urami used to be. Maybe something we don't understand is at work."

"You think I'm not trying to believe that, Al?" Edward hunched forward so that his elbow rested on his knee, and his automail hand reached for his chest. His fingers closed tightly, grasping his undershirt. He hid his face from his brother. "With all my heart, I wish she was here with me. I have nightmares of when I lost her, practically every night. Out of all the nightmares... of our transmutation, of Nina and what we couldn't do for her... losing Urami has to torment me the most. It makes me really selfish, but I just..."

Edward breathed deeply. "Urami was, is, and always will be Malice. I don't think Urami even exists anymore in that... thing. So how could she come back?"

"Things work in mysterious ways, Brother."

"I can't wrap my head around it. But I want to, so really badly. I want it to be true."

"So do I."

A silence fell between them. Edward didn't look like he had any intention to fall back to sleep, and since the sky outside was growing lighter, he gave up on rest and decided to meet with the morning. He was holding his hands together, still bent forward with his elbows on his knees. His expression was more at peace now, and not tainted deeply with pain.

The temptation to touch him and to caress his skin was hard to fight. I wasn't able to touch his soul, but perhaps I could touch the surface? I was afraid that he would feel me, and that I would ruin the serenity he slipped into. But I convinced myself that he couldn't feel me unless I used my Chi, and right now, the levels of my soul were stable.

I adjusted myself and sat _right _beside him, our hips touching. He felt nothing. With trembling fingers, I touched his back. I felt the barrier of his soul, stopping me from venturing farther, but he felt nothing. I encircled his back, leaned against him. Nothing. I smiled to myself, and pressed my lips against his shoulder blade. He shivered for a second, and I thought it was me that had caused it. But it ceased, and I was relieved. I had missed being this close to him. At first I felt wrong to do this without his consent, but I couldn't resist. Maybe I'd apologize to him sometime for that.

"... do you remember our first day with her?"

Alphonse nodded. "Yeah. We took her out to dinner, didn't we?"

"Yeah." Edward started chuckling weakly. "I remember, when she and I were eating, you were tearing up a napkin. Then you used alchemy at the table to make it whole again. The expression on her face..."

"Priceless," Alphonse agreed, laughing quietly along with his brother. "You were needing a napkin anyway, so you took it right when I finished the transmutation. I think that made it look all the more impressive."

Edward laughed, nodding his head. And they went on like that, recalling the small memories all three of us shared. It touched my heart warmly, listening to them. Did they talking about me in such a nice light all the time? Or did they discuss what they'd do if they ever met Malice again? The thoughts accumulated for a second, but I pushed them away. Their endearment of the memories lightened up their moods, and in turn, _my_ mood.

I just wished I could go back to those times.

* * *

It was early morning that I decided to go and find Ling. Winry finally woke, and Edward and Alphonse decided to get themselves ready for whatever they had planned that day. I wasn't sure what that was, since they hadn't discussed it between the two of them. The only thing I knew was that they had to visit Mustang in the military medical clinic, since Lust did a number on him in Laboratory Three. When they did that, I thought that I would go and see if I could catch Ling in the dream world.

I found him in a warehouse not too far away, on the topmost level. Lan Fan and Fu were gone, having already woken to do their duties. Ling was indulged to sleep in a little more, and that was good enough for me. I knew my time was limited, though.

He slept on the mat, slightly discarding the blanket. It must have been hot and musty in there, for I saw small beads of sweat on his skin. When I got close enough to him, I heard him mutter my name. Not Dreamweaver, but Urami. I knew he was still asleep, and I knew he was sleeping dreamlessly. Personally, Urami was a whole lot easier to say in the midst of sleep, and maybe he said it because he felt my approach subconsciously. Or maybe he was just worried. I touched him and recollected what happened between him and Edward, and then what happened afterward. I felt guilty at those memories. I took a gander at his cheek, and noted in regret that a tinge of dark purple settled in his cheek, from where Edward punched him.

I entered his mind, and I immediately felt his soul draw itself to me. I saw him in the darkness, running toward me, waving. In routine, I made the ground sprout with purple flowers, glowing like amethysts in the fields. I lowered myself to my knees to sit on my calves. When he got to me, he looked down at me, panting.

"Dreamweaver," he said softly. "I thought something happened to you. You just... left."

When I had first mingled with his soul, I picked up on something about his culture. I saw Ling's waiting visage, then I lowered my upper body to the ground. My head was down, and I focussed on the center of the diamond my hands made against the grass.

"I'm so sorry," I said to him. "I didn't mean things to go as they did."

I wanted my apology to be genuine to him, but I guess he didn't like it. Not at all. He dropped to his knees and seized my shoulders immediately, lifting me up with great force.

"Don't ever bow to me!" he said fiercely. He shook his head at my confused face. "You're a friend, and it wasn't your fault. I'm a prince in another country. Here, I'm just your average boy. Please. We're equals, understand?"

I didn't realize he wanted a response until he repeated himself, to which I nodded earnestly. Still panting a little, the corners of his lips tugged upwards, and his grip on me loosened.

"But now you and Edward are..." I started, but he shook his head again.

"I just didn't handle it right. It's my fault." He let go of me and leaned back, just slightly sitting on his calves. He pressed his closed fist against the ground. "And he didn't want to believe. What's wrong with him?"

"He doesn't want to get his hopes up," I said, protecting Edward. "I understand how he feels..."

"But the way he said those things, it made me think that he totally just gave up on you."

"He hasn't. Don't worry."

Ling looked at me in the eyes, and I could tell that he wanted to believe me. I smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring way. He held me with those dark eyes of his for a long while, then sighed out loud.

"I sure hope so."

"What about your friendship, though? He thinks you're pretty shady, and he said he doesn't trust you."

"Well, that's not important right now," he shrugged. "Lan Fan, Fu and I will confront the homunculi when they come out, and we'll see what happens next. If Edward wants to be careful around me, that's fine."

I bit my lip, still worried about it, but I nodded eventually. The interior of the musty warehouse flashed across our eyes, and I knew that it was time for Ling to wake up. As our surroundings disappeared slowly, I pressed my hand against my chest.

"I really appreciate you trying to tell him."

His form shimmered, fading at the edges. He smiled at me tenderly. "Go on and be with Edward. You haven't seen him in a long time, and you've waited so long for him."

I smiled gratefully at him, then he disappeared. I took his suggestion and left his body. I looked back at his waking form, and saw a small grin on his lips. Still smiling, I disembarked to find Edward.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N:_ Gosh, finally. I haven't been able to sit down these past weeks, with so much to do. And I have to get back in gear to do my homework tomorrow.

I know a lot of you were waiting very patiently for this chapter, what with Edward FINALLY coming back. And I know a lot of you were wishing Edward would be happy! I hope I didn't disappoint with what I came up with. XD I wanted it to be unpredictable, so I hope it came out as such.

Well, it'll be some time until the next chapter, but I hope you can be as patient as you always have been, haha. I'll try and collect my thoughts soon and start it off at least. Plus, I want to update _Scales and Bones_, since I'm still in love with the ideas I have for it.

Hope you liked the chapter! :)

-Vixen


	32. Coexist

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 32

_Damnit, why does it have to hurt so much...?_

An Ishbalan woman placed a cold rag upon Tom's head, but he soon used it to bite on as the another worked on his ankle. He could feel the bones separately, and he couldn't take how they shifted and punctured some tissues around them. The Ishbalans were trying their best to help him, he knew this, but he found himself stubbornly scorning their help, and wished they would just leave him alone.

When they finished, they left him be for a few moments. He panted, staring at the inside of the tent they placed him in. Now, with the pain chased out of his mind for now, he was able to think back to things, and he wondered what happened.

Why did Malice leave him there...? If anything, he thought she was originally bringing him to a secluded place, to kill him herself. But that made no sense; she had the most glorious moment to do that in the tunnels. Instead, she had taken him to a place where he could recover.

That made _least _sense... why in the world would she do _that? _It was incredibly strange and confusing to him. Not to mention she was calling him some _confirmed sacrifice_.

And that shadowy voice... how chilling. He felt terrified at the memory, and wondered for how long Pride had followed him. He wondered what the monster looked like, but stopped himself short, in case he fell asleep and walked straight into a nightmare.

Eventually, Tom fell asleep. Soundlessly, thankfully. He woke up the next morning to the same Ishbalan woman at his bedside, adjusting a new cold cloth onto his forehead.

"Be at ease, Amestrian," she said soothingly. Her voice was soft and rather fluent. "You're in good hands."

"Why are you calling me that?" His voice was raspy, and the woman handed him a stone cup full of water. He tasted the granite, but he didn't want to complain. "Are you really an Ishbalan?"

Tom had never seen one before. He didn't even know the details of the Ishbalan War. Some of the people of Korius were veterans, and all they described it as was 'hell'. Seeing an Ishbalan in front of him made him think of the 'hell' she survived and escaped from.

She closed her eyes and nodded. "We are the people of Ishbala, yes. If the name 'Amestrian' insults you, then I apologize."

Tom was about to interject, but he kept his mouth shut. In truth, he would probably be called a Korian, or Koriussian... neither sounded very pleasant. But that was beside the point. Names didn't matter. He was one of many Amestrians isolated in poverty. That was a very similar isolation to the Ishbalans. Sure, his people weren't massacred, but the abandoned had to stick together, no matter what colour skin they wore or eyes they saw through.

"Thank you for taking care of me," he said softly. The woman smiled.

"You're more than welcome."

Throughtout the course of that day, Tom decided that he, once recovering, would direct this camp toward Korius. They had room in their secret place, he reckoned, surrounded by the mountain wall. They'd be safe there. He wished he could do the same for any other refugee camp, but right now he could only touch one. He decided that the next time his nurse came by, he would tell her his proposition.

He heard voices outside his tent, coming closer. An Ishbalan man was speaking in his native tongue to another, then he switched to Tom's language. This could only mean that... they had visitors.

"We have a boy in here who's ankle is severely shattered. We did what we could, but... if you say you're skilled in medicinal alchemy—"

Tom's ears pricked up. Medicinal alchemy? He'd never heard of...

"We call it Alkehestry where I come from," a small girl replied. Tom couldn't imagine how young the girl was, her voice sounded so innocent and light. "Don't worry. I'll try my best to fix him up."

The flap of his tent was swept aside, and the most harmless-looking girl stepped through. Her large black eyes rested on him. Her clothing was something Tom hadn't seen before, but it wasn't as strange as the little creature on her shoulder. Was that some sort of cat?

The girl approached his broken ankle, and he flinched back, which wasn't a good idea. He groaned, until the girl set her hand on his ankle. She smiled up at him.

"Don't worry. I'm here to help!"

What could a little girl do for a broken ankle? He watched in silence as she fished for some material in her bag. She asked Tom's caretaker for a board or something, so that she could paint on. When the board came in, she used ink and quickly drew a transmutation circle, one that Tom had never seen before. He sat up more to watch her work in wonder. When she was done, she stuck little knives where the lines all connected. Then, she gently lifted his foot and set it in the middle. She looked up at him again.

"Are you ready?"

Tom nodded without hesitation, even though he should've been concerned, since he didn't know what she was doing. She nodded in return, and then placed her fingertips at the edges of the circle. Immediately, a brilliant green light flared, and Tom felt a strange sensation in his ankle. Shiftings, but nothing too painful. It also felt like something was rebuilding himself, growing and latching itself secure. When the light was gone, the girl stepped back, looking pleased.

"How does that feel?"

Tom paused, then lifted his foot up. He was reluctant to move his ankle, in fear of the pain, but he moved it, and no pain came. The girl collected her belongings. He rotated his foot in full-circle, and he laughed. "Wow."

The girl smiled broadly, then turned to leave. Tom panicked.

"Wait!"

She turned and looked at him quizzically. He transferred his weight onto his knees, now that he was healed to some extent. He felt a straining pressure on his ankle, so he knew not to do anything tough yet. He looked at her with wonder.

"What kind of alchemy was that? I've never seen anything like it!"

"In my country, we use "alchemy" for medicine."

"What country are you from?"

"Xing. Just across the desert."

Tom had to get his head around the idea that Amestris wasn't the only existing country in the world. It was just hard for him to imagine how big the world really was.

"Please, can you tell me more about it? More about... Alkehestry?"

The girl looked at him cautiously. He realized how forward he was, and he sank back a little.

"I'm sorry. You see, I'm an alchemist too. I want to use my knowledge for the good."

"Alchemist? At your age?" It seemed like a silly and hypocritical question, since the girl was much younger than Tom. She gasped. "You can't be the Fullmetal Alchemist. A-Are you?"

"No," he said. She sighed with relief. Maybe she already had her own imagination about how Edward looked like. "But I know him."

"You do?"

"Yeah. But first, I'm sorry that I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Tom."

"I am May Chang. And this is my friend, Xiao Mei." May lifted a finger up to the little cat on her shoulder, and she stroked it under the chin. "She's a panda bear. She had a birth defect, so she couldn't grow as big as her family members."

So it wasn't a cat. Tom shook his head to get back on track.

"Well, could you tell me more about Alkehestry?"

She looked doubtfully at the ceiling. "We'll only be staying for the night. I came here to heal you because it's the least I could do. The good people here will give us shelter until tomorrow at dawn."

"Then take me with you," he begged. "I'm sure I can be of some use to you. And I'm looking for Edward Elric as well. Might as well travel together, right? You're heading to Central?"

May seemed overwhelmed, but then, she looked pleased. "Maybe we can help each other out. And I doubt Master Yoki will mind... I'll go ask, okay?"

Tom beamed gratefully. As she left, he kept repeating, "Thank you! Thank you!"

Soon after May left, the Ishbalan woman came in. She smiled, seeing Tom sitting up and grinning. "Alchemy is a miracle when it's done for good, isn't it?"

"It is! And that's exactly what I've been looking for... it's like I've finally realized what it was, and now I have it in front of me."

"That's good to hear."

Tom swung his legs off the edge and tested his ankle. He felt the strain stronger now, so he knew he would have to use a staff, or walking stick, to walk for the next couple of days. There was a short pole at the opposite end of the tent, so he got up and limped over to it. The woman beat him to it when he stumbled, and she handed it to him. He stabilized himself and thanked her.

"I may be leaving with the travelers tomorrow," he told her. "I don't want to cause any more of a burden. Thank you so much for your help."

The woman looked startled for a moment, and Tom had to retrace his steps. "I promise you that I will tell no one of this place." When the woman relaxed, he added, "In fact, I would like to suggest to you a safer place to stay."

* * *

"He is not coming with us."

The scarred man glowered down at Tom, and the boy couldn't say anything. He was ultimately intimidated by the older Ishabalan man. He couldn't understand why May was traveling with someone like him, someone who looked like a serial killer. Tom straightened his posture, but he knew he didn't look that impressive using a walking stick.

"What does a kid like him want to do with us?" another man said. He looked quite diminished, as if he was stripped of something immortal. Maybe it was pride. He was much older, but scrawny and vulnerable-looking. He scrutinized Tom more closely. "You know, we're criminals. We're on the run, and the military will arrest anyone associated with us."

"We're not criminals!" May exclaimed, seeming both embarrassed and insulted by the idea. She turned to Tom and smiled. "He's an alchemist, and I think that he can help us."

"Alchemist?" the frightening one asked. His eyes bore into Tom's core like nothing he'd ever felt. It made him uncomfortable, and he had to advert his gaze. "Why does a young mind like his have to get corrupted so soon?"

Corrupted?

"He wants to use it for good, and I think I can help him," May insisted. She went to Tom's side. "I don't think he's bad."

"His innocence may be intact now, but as he'll grow, he'll lose it. That's what alchemy does to you in this country. It makes you go against the laws of nature and destroy its beauty."

"That's not true," Tom murmured. But even then, he felt unsure. He looked up at the scarred man. The man saw his doubt, but his face took no sympathetic turn.

"You know of the evil, I see."

The Alchemist of Korius came to mind. When Tom had Margaret and his family taken from him, alchemy was nothing but a nameless evil. It was capable of doing many terrible, disgusting things, and it went against the natural flow of life. Nature was supposed to be the dominant. It formed the earth, and nourished and birthed life. What did alchemy do with that, but change it? Warp it, into something that nature could no longer recognize? The Alchemist was an extremist, thinking he was a god, a creator of all things. He even dared to touch life.

_Malice exists, _Tom thought to himself. Surely she was proof of alchemy's terrible power...

_But so does Urami, _a voice inside his mind reminded him. _Malice must be lost, out of her mind. But it can be found again. Someone like Margaret... like Urami, can't just disappear. She just has to be found._

"The evil in alchemy is only brought into being by the people who use it," Tom responded at last. "There are people who think differently, who feel differently, and their destinies are their own. Alchemy is only knowledge, a tool for alchemists to reach their full potential."

"You can't deny the alchemists who use alchemy for destruction," the man said. Tom looked him straight in the eyes, and did his best not to falter.

"But you can't deny the alchemists who use alchemy for the common good." He licked his lips. "Human beings will always be tempted with power, and sometimes they make mistakes. Creating life that's already lost is one of them. Someone may want to bring back a loved one..."

The older one's eyes betrayed something, but they hardened as quickly as they slipped.

"...but they lose something instead. Could be something dear. People are always bound to suffer, one way or another. Whether that's judgement inflicted by another person, by nature, or by some supernatural being on the other side; it'll happen._"_

Everyone was silent. May looked up at Tom. The older, diminished man —Tom deduced was Yoki— watched the boy, then looked up at the scarred man, who continued to keep eye-contact with Tom.

"Take me with you," Tom said. "I'm one of those alchemists that want to help others. I've made mistakes, tons of them, but I'm willing to learn from them and make a difference. I'll try and help you as much as I can along the way."

"Dangers you wouldn't believe lay ahead," the scarred man said. "Secrets you'd never suspect. You could die."

Tom stood his ground. They held contact for a little longer, then the man turned his back on him, spinning on his heel. He began to walk in the opposite direction, and he called over his shoulder.

"We leave in the morning."

Tom's mouth opened, then closed, almost subtly looking like a gaping fish. "What are you—?"

"We set out for Central. That's where we'll part ways, boy. We can't carry the dead weight of a cripple; it'll just slow us down. And it's best you leave us early, or you'll get yourself killed."

He disappeared around the corner, into another part of the Ishbalan camp. Tom blinked, unable to decipher the frightening man. May whooped slightly with excitement, clapping both hands on his single one.

"That means you can come with us! Isn't that nice?"

"I could've sworn Scar would say no," Yoki said, looking after the named one. "That was one impressive speech. Did you make all of that up?"

Tom looked at him strangely, then tapped his chest. "It all came from here. I believe every word."

May looked up at him with shining eyes, then pulled him along, as much as he could with a busted leg. "I bet Edward is just as reflective as you. Oh~ I just can't wait to meet him! Come on, we should help out the camp before we turn in for the night..."

Tom smiled down at her, then raised his eyes to the sky. It was beginning to darken, which meant dusk was coming very soon. The fire would get started, and it would be around a day since Malice dumped him in this place. He assumed that she meant for him to stay in the village, but no. He was going to get involved. He was going to get better in alchemy, and get to the bottom of everything. He would find Malice. He would find Urami. He would find Margaret. Three names of the same person.

There was no turning back now.

* * *

I couldn't believe how fast everything came at us. In all of that, I saw Tom somewhere in the confusion. That just added to the overwhelming day.

I stayed by the Elric brothers and watched them for a couple of days, until the name "Scar" came about. Apparently he was somewhere nearby. I feared for Edward; from the other time they spoke of him, he was trying to kill the boys. I wanted them to be as far away from him as possible... but Edward wanted to pick a fight with him. I didn't understand until he explained his reasons; he wanted to draw out the homunculi, and see if the Führer had anything to do with them. I thought it was a reasonable approach, but I still didn't want him to do it. I tried touching his soul, to somehow try and tell him that this was a bad idea, but I couldn't touch him. My fingers crumpled against the barrier.

Alphonse lectured him for me, and I hoped the younger brother's words would help Edward to look for a more rational approach, but he was stubborn. Eventually, Alphonse backed him up, as dangerous as it was. It was a good thing someone as level-headed as him was related to my dear one.

Later that day, the two brothers went out and achieved as many alchemic deeds as possible, making spectacles of themselves. This Scar was bound to find them, and that he did. When I first set eyes on him, I felt my soul grow cold. He didn't look as bad or ugly as I imagined him to, but his eyes were intimidating. I couldn't imagine what happenings he saw with those eyes, and I was afraid of touching him. What memories would come out at me? I didn't want to know.

I stood by as the three of them fought. I stayed out of their way, avoiding the chance of touching anyone or their memories. I watched them until they came to a standstill, where Edward interrogated Scar with anger, demanding answers from him. Winry arrived out of no where when the teen revealed that Scar was the one who killed Winry's parents.

I could just imagine how the world looked to Winry then. It was like the moment I found out that I was transmuted from Margaret and the children... The world just flipped down on its head and started spinning. The poor girl fell to her knees, her eyes threatening to unleash tears for a lifetime. She also had a demented look behind them, just as I had. She reached over to a gun and aimed it up at Scar. She and I were very much alike... we wanted to kill the cause of our pain, but even after they died, the pain would remain.

Edward did a very valiant thing. Scar took his chance to attack, and Edward was more concerned with Winry, throwing himself inbetween his friend and his enemy. Winry did not fire her gun, and Scar did not deconstruct Edward's face off. Instead, he had this dazed look on his face, stunned. Alphonse took his chance and attacked Scar, leading him away.

I crouched down as Edward tried to console Winry. She finally broke down in his arms. Feeling useless, I reached out to her, even though I half-thought it wouldn't do anything. I acquainted myself with her soul, adopting her memories and thoughts. It was becoming much easier to sift through them, but I still felt like I was trespassing. She really loved Edward dearly; there was a deep, panicked fear of losing him as she lost her parents. That was a pain we shared.

Edward walked with her until he found some military officers stationed nearby, ready to apprehend Scar. He left us in their care, then ran off. I was about to follow him, but I stopped myself. Winry needed someone with her, even if they were invisible. I decided to stay with her for a little bit before venturing out to look after Edward. I could feel the edges of our souls merging with on another, side-by-side. It felt comforting, and I hoped Winry was comforted _somehow._

When it was time to leave, I forced out my thoughts as loudly as I could, sending Winry my prayers. I stepped away and turned my back.

"Ur...ami?"

She couldn't have muttered that. I turned around and saw that she had a shocked look on her face. My own features followed her example. She looked straight through me, so she couldn't have seen me.

_Can you hear me, Winry?_

She said nothing. No, she didn't even react this time. Her eyes wandered for a second, then she looked down at the ground. I reached out to her and touched her soul and repeated myself. She didn't hear me. I pulled away.

"I could've sworn you were beside me," she whispered. She clutched her shoulders and she laughed weakly. "Are you here looking after that bratty brother of mine?"

I almost felt just as endeared as the time Ling talked to me during the day. I didn't care if I couldn't respond... I was being acknowledged. Well, somewhat. That was good enough for me. I smiled and left her to find Edward.

I arrived at the scene to find that both Ling and Gluttony had just left the party. It seemed that Edward's plan worked, luring out some homunculi... He didn't look ecstatic though; he wasn't entirely sure if Ling was on their side or not, even though he was clearly fighting Gluttony. They left in a jeep in a rush, and the Elric brothers were left with Scar again. Edward wasn't going to rest until Scar was caught.

But then this strange girl came into the picture.

She kicked the brothers down, brought about some strange alchemy, and then she and the man were gone. The smoke of the explosion she made filled the whole area, and everyone choked in as much clean air as they could. They shielded their eyes from the smog, but I could keep my eyes open and alert. I watched the outlines of the girl and man as they sidled past the stationed trailers, escaping the scene. If only I could yell out and tell Edward where they were going.

At the edge of the scene, where they were escaping, I saw two figures. One was an older man, while the other was a boy. I looked hard at the boy and realized I recognized him. He slipped away with the group before I could utter his name. Not that it would've made a difference.

What was Tom doing with them?

With all those thoughts done and over with, I found myself back at the hideout Roy Mustang had Gluttony taken to. I sat down outside in contemplation, but now I wasn't able to drown out Lan Fan's screams anymore. She cut off her own arm... The doctor was doing all he could to treat it. I returned back inside, against my better judgement, and sought Ling out. He was sitting in the darkness of the room beside the operation room, one knee drawn up to his chest. He looked up slightly when I entered. No one else was with us.

"Please, Dreamweaver," he whispered. He looked in my direction, even though he couldn't see me. "Is there nothing we could do?"

I looked to Lan Fan's room, and I could see her. Her screams were muffled by a rag, but loud enough to make one's spine shiver. Her teeth gouged into the fabric mercilessly as she tried to withstand the pain. I walked into the room, watched her painfully a little more, then acquainted myself with her soul. I thought back to Winry, to what I could have possibly done, and I tried to imitate.

I absorbed some of Lan Fan's pain as I had absorbed Winry's sadness. It was uncomfortable to say the least, and I felt at one point that I couldn't withstand any of it, but the degree of agony on Lan Fan's face was decreased. She breathed and moaned laboriously, but the screams were brought down. I was astounded with myself a little... I thought about strongly screaming my thoughts to her, but I figured that her own thoughts were loud enough as it was.

When the worst of the operation was over, I left Lan Fan to recover. I returned to Ling's side and sat down beside him. He felt me and smiled.

"You're amazing, Dreamweaver," he breathed. I smiled in return. My small discovery was not a complete loss; I could communicate with someone if we shared an intense emotion together, or at least that's how I thought it worked. I wondered when it would come in handy... maybe, if I'd tried harder and spoken with Winry, she could've told Edward that Ling was telling the truth. But she was on her way back to Rush Valley now, so that opportunity was shot.

Edward and Alphonse entered the room. They were silent as they approached Ling. They passed by Lan Fan's room and heard her laboured breathing. When they arrived, Edward's eyes were cold, but there was something that cracked beneath them. He took a breath, and he was about to say something, but Ling already called it.

"I'm sor—"

"Don't apologize," Ling cut him off. "When I went in search of immortality, I knew I was to be ready to make certain sacrifices... but I wasn't ready for this." He glanced down to the path of light coming from Lan Fan's room. "Lan Fan was, though. She made the decision I wasn't ready to make."

The silence that followed was long, but not too long. Edward took a step forward and took a breath. "Then thank you, for helping us out."

"Don't mention it. It's the least I could do."

Edward nodded. He cleared his throat, as if wanting to say something more, but he soon decided against it. If I could guess, I would've have though that he wanted to ask about me. How Ling knew so much about me. He wouldn't believe what Ling already laid out for him.

The doctor who was treating Lan Fan finished his work and went out to smoke a cigarette. Edward and Alphonse nodded their heads and entered her room to see how she was doing. Ling lingered behind for some reason; I would have thought that he'd join them, since he was the most concerned with Lan Fan. He stayed in the darkness, looking at his hands.

"I guess it's going to be harder to convince him you're still around," he said to me. "But I'll try my best, don't worry."

I smiled, wishing I could respond to him, but I guessed that would have to wait until morning.

He was gone before then. He and Edward.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _Ha, remember when I could spout these chapters more frequently, and for more pages than this? ._.

I greatly apologize to all my FMA readers. You were waiting and waiting and waiting, and yet I was more inspired with my other story. Not to mention I was occupied by school... but that's beside the point. I have so many ideas for my other story that I sort of lost what I wanted to get down in this one. I know that it was very selfish of me to do that.

But I won't give up on this story. Oh no, it won't end until a few dozen chapters, depending how much I get in each segment. Maybe I'll brainstorm about what I wanted down for this. I have it all up in my head, and I've written down many dialogues. Now I just have to get down and use them!

I hope you liked the chapter, and sorry it wasn't anything that exciting, considering the long absence I took... but I hope you liked it all the same. Please review me your thoughts, because believe it or not, I read them all. Even when I don't have the time, I make time. They are really endearing and helpful :)

Thanks for reading!

~Vixen


	33. Price

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 33

Everything was a blur to me, and in the end, I thought I lost everything.

The night was full of chaos as Gluttony rampaged after Roy Mustang. He broke through his restraints and revealed his true nature; a grotesque monster that devoured anything and everything in his path. When he first tried to consume his enemy, I was in the way... I received a temporary shock, confused on what had occurred. But when I looked behind me, I saw the night sky, the green hill and the remains of the stone-hedge fence. The ground itself looked like a gigantic worm had plowed its way through the surface of the earth. I didn't know what that would do to a human.

The party split apart; Ran Fan —though forced— fled with Mustang, Hawkeye and the doctor, while Ling, Edward and Alphonse stayed behind to subdue the furious homunculus.

I obviously followed the team that was in more peril... I wondered if I could gather my Chi again, as I did with Lust. Maybe I would be able to control these abilities of mine. But what could I possibly do against Gluttony's power? I wouldn't be able to bounce that mass of energy off, and if I could, I wouldn't be able to control where it'd go. I was worried that I would do more harm than good.

As if things couldn't get any worse, Envy entered the mix. At the beginning, he was just there to pick Gluttony up, and the large homunculus was specifically told not to eat the brothers. I thought that was a little reassuring, and I sort of hoped that the two opposing parties would split ways... but I knew something like this was what the brothers wanted. Plus, Gluttony trying to eat Ling wasn't going to be overlooked. A new fight started; Ling versus Envy, the Brothers versus Gluttony. Again, there wasn't more I could do here except pass through the wall the brothers made, back and forth, torn on what to do.

Then, when the wall broke, things went too fast for me to follow. The next thing I knew...

Both Ling and Edward were gone. Envy too, but was I to be reassured?

"I swallowed them," Gluttony said simply as Alphonse demanded answers. The demented teeth of his body retreated back into his flesh, and he was normal again. Swallowed? _Swallowed?_

Dead?

I reached out to Gluttony, demanding answers. I forgot about what happened to me when I touched the homunculi, and it turned out this was the worst feeling of all.

Hunger. Starvation.

The pain of it enveloped me. It was unexplainable, because I didn't need food. I had no stomach to feed. Regardless, the excruciating hunger devoured me from my core. This was a mind trick, surely. Did Gluttony feel this hunger all the time? Was this the reason he couldn't think properly? Perhaps this was what the sin was to him; despite gaining sustenance, he continued to search for 'food' and eat, no matter what it was.

I held on, trying to gain anything from Gluttony. There were no memories to collect from him, and the only thing I saw were toiling clouds of red faces and skulls, moaning. My eyes passed over his Stone, but from previous attempts, I knew I couldn't touch it. Damnit, there had to be more to this! There had to be—

That eye.

I knew I saw that somewhere before. It reminded me of the time Father first appeared to me, and he was the one who urged me into letting Malice take over. However, that wasn't the only eye I knew of. I passed through _that _place and saw it.

Was it possible that Ling and Edward were at the Gate...?

* * *

Absolutely nightmarish.

Ling and Edward lay sprawled on their backs next to the burning fire. If leather wasn't edible... they wouldn't have had the energy to move on. To move on in the endless sea of blood, passing the remnants of many broken things. There was no wall to this stomach, no bottom. What was Gluttony...?

Not too long ago, Ling complimented Edward's optimism. No matter how dire things seemed, Edward wanted to keep trying and find a way out. There was so much left to do... he couldn't die yet. He didn't want to leave Al to fight on his own. He wasn't going to leave his brother to find a way in getting his body back.

And then, there was someone else he want to fight for. He had been thinking about her more and more now; he couldn't bury her. Ling brought up that possibility and and fed the dying flame. It was returning.

"...how do you know so much... about..."

Ling sat up slowly. He waited to see if Edward would finish, but when he couldn't continue, the prince finished for him.

"Urami?"

The name hurt. Edward nodded, and he sat up as well. Their backs were to each other. "Mm."

Edward heard a shift of fabric; Ling shrugged. "Well, you don't want to believe me, so..."

The alchemist stayed silent, finding it difficult to build up words after that. What was he supposed to say? He was close to blowing up on Ling again, just as he did before. The topic was anything _but_ rational. But then, a part of him wanted to talk about it, as if the whole situation was _real_. He wanted to be so.

"...she spoke to you?"

"Yes."

The answer came without falter. Edward licked his lips, and he looked around. He half-expected Urami to come out of the darkness, smiling.

"Is she here now?"

"No."

That hope crashed down. "Mm."

Ling didn't waste his time on silence this time. He sighed. "I already explained to you how it works. Malice and Urami are not the same anymore. They used to be, but something happened. Urami is still around."

"I want to believe that," Edward said. He looked up, seeing nothing but blackness. He shook his head, his eyes straining. "But how's that possible?"

"Well, immortality's possible, right?"

Edward said nothing.

"She wanted me to say a couple things to you, the first time I met her in a dream."

"...what was that?" the alchemist asked warily.

He could hear the smile in Ling's voice. "She said not to worry about her... that she's fine... that she's trying to get her body back. And she asked me to tell you that she loves you..." He chuckled. "_Dearly_, she emphasized."

Those words were both nice and painful to hear. It definitely sounded like something she would say.

"I'm guessing she hasn't talked to you yet?"

Edward shook his head, but reminded himself he wasn't facing Ling. He voiced the negative. A stinging feeling of resentment developed. Why appear to Ling, and not him? "No. You said she would come into my dreams, but she hasn't."

"Something must be wrong then. She _did_suddenly disappear when we were fighting about her."

Despite his lingering pessimism on the proof-less situation, Edward's heart dropped. "She's gone?"

"No, she came back. She was also there with us in the cabin."

Edward brought his knees closer together and put a finger at both temples. _Why is this so hard to believe...?  
_  
"Do you have a sixth sense, Ed?"

He took his fingers away. "What do you mean?"

Ling hesitated.

"Well... once entering this country, we —Ran Fan, Fu and I— felt something very wrong going on. It was the same feeling we got when we faced the homunculi."

"I didn't feel anything."

"It was the same deal with Urami. We felt her when she was around. She had a vitality to her, so she's not dead. Shortly after that, she tried contacting me. Maybe..."

The Fullmetal Alchemist waited. He turned around to look at Ling's back. "Maybe... what?" he asked gravely. Ling took another moment to formulate his thoughts, then he looked over his shoulder at him.

"She can't touch you."

Edward's teeth bore and he turned away. This wasn't going anywhere. "Is this my fault, then? I'm the one that's pushing her away? If anything, I want her right here beside me, always! Maybe not in this hellish place, but otherwise..." He looked down at his hands helplessly. Ling exhaled deeply.

"I can't force you to believe in something." The prince got to his feet and put his bandaged hands into his pocket. "It's like how you can't force someone into a religion. You can give as much evidence as you want, but the person picks what they want to view as truth. I have my own evidence, but it's your choice on whether to take it as proof."

Edward heaved up onto his feet as well, looking over at the fires that littered Gluttony's inside. After a moment, Ling set a hand on his shoulder, and the alchemist looked at him. The other's eyes had opened to consider him clearly.

"I just hope you _do_ take it, because Urami's counting on it."

* * *

Malice tried to stretch her one arm across her chest, but the lantern proved troublesome. It was too big to swing around at close quarters. She would have to have set it down to stretch properly, but she never wanted to stop. Pride was always with her, always beside her. His eyes were shut, but the darkness was more unsettling than usual now, since she knew he was there.

After returning from her errand with Tom, she didn't know how long she was down below. Her internal clock told her she was there for more than a week. Amestris was a large country, and checking the whole perimeter for intruders took ages. Would she have walked the whole length of the establishment before Sloth finished the tunnel?

Her shoulders were too stiff to ignore. She stopped, set the lantern down, then commenced stretching her arms; first left, then right. Between them, she yawned.

"How long am I to stay down here, Pride?"

A tendril of darkness scaled the wall, then split into two. The edges housed those serrated teeth of his and moved, mimicking speech when it was unneeded. "_Until Sloth's finishes with this tunnel. It won't be long now._"

"Mmhm. Then what? Do I return to Central?"

"_Perhaps. If you ask me, you should've gotten a heavier punishment._" A deep chuckle resonated in that cavern. Malice was reminded of a disturbed child when she heard it. She scoffed, finished stretching her last arm, then picked up the lantern.

"Believe me, being stuck down here in the dark with you is enough of a punishment."

In a matter of seconds, Pride enveloped her, and she had to stop to avoid getting ripped to shreds. The edges of his shadows posed at her neck and limbs, keeping her immobile. If he chose to, he could have devoured her.

A presence leaned in close to her ear and whispered darkly: "_I don't think it wise to hurt the ego of a proud beast._"

Malice's teeth bore, and without her consent, a drop of sweat cascaded down from her brow. She didn't want to show fear. She didn't want to show cowardice. Regardless, Pride seemed to relish her vulnerability.

"_We're family. We shouldn't bicker._"

"Don't make me sick. You aren't my family, and I don't need one," the younger homunculus growled. Pride chuckled again, more scornfully.

"_You did when you had your human side._"

Malice barked on instant, as if some nerve had been severed; "Urami was a parasite. Nothing more."

"_Oh~ You call her by name now, then?"_

The Ultimate Ore's lips twitched, and she growled inwardly. Pride moved around to the other ear, clearly having fun taunting her.

"_I wonder, do you miss her? Did you care for her?"  
_  
Malice suddenly laughed. She stepped forward, and Pride pulled his shadows away. She swung the lantern forward and back at her side, still chuckling to herself. "You're real funny, Pride. Truly." She turned to his darkness and smirked. "My human side was nothing but trouble. Life is much better now without her."

Eyes opened up in the shade, and each of them regarded her, strong enough to pierce her being. Some of them creased into crescents. He replied contently, "_Well, that's good to hear. We don't want any more complications from you."_

Malice's smirk tilted to one side, and she turned away. "I dunno... complications make things more interesting, wouldn't you say? It would be boring to have everything so straightforward."

"_So you say."_ Malice heard slithers from behind her, receding. Pride was leaving. "_I will go back and see how Sloth is doing. You're to continue your duty._"

"Yeah, yeah."

Soon after that, she couldn't hear anything anymore. She felt nothing either, and she looked over her shoulder just in case. When she verified that he was truly gone, and started walking again. It was after a while that she noticed her fingers were twitching, trembling; the light of the lantern was bouncing. She shook her wrist off, trying to banish the anxiety. Complications...

"Nothing's wrong," she said to herself. She nodded to herself, reassured. "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine. Everything's fine. I just have to patrol the tunnels. I don't have to think about anything. Nothing at all."

_Don't think. Don't think._

_Don't think about her. About him._

Him?

Edward? No.

_Him._

"Who's _him?" _she mumbled. "There's Urami... but _him..._?"

* * *

Morning had already broke, and Alphonse and I had no answers.

I suppose, when I entered Gluttony's soul, my thoughts influenced thoughts of food, because he kept his eye on that strange black-and-white cat from before (I didn't mention it because I didn't think it was important, but it was left behind when Scar escaped). He kept shuffling from side to side, peeking at the small animal. Each time, the cat squeaked and hid behind Alphonse, who sat solitary in the shade of the trees, He held his severed arm in his lap, thinking hard. He said very little, since nothing made sense.

I wish I could tell him what I saw. That I saw some sort of Gate in Gluttony... but I doubted that would make any more sense. Neither would it allow him to come to some conclusion or solution. Edward and Ling were past the boundaries of this world, so how would he be able to reach them? Commit alchemy's taboo on the whim? What would he be able to give up? And how would _I _be able to reach them?

_Think, think, think,_ I prompted myself. I had sprawled my transparent body across the ground, looking at the clouds as they passed by. They looked so serene, but I was frustrated. _I'm a spirit! I'm not bound to a body, so I should be able to transcend dimensions... or something! And I've been past the Gate..._

I sat up. _Wait..._ If I already passed through the Gate before, wouldn't I be able to do it again? Father banished myself and the children from this world, and then I chose to come back. I still remember the strange sensation of having my mind expand and threaten to blow up. I needed to find out how to return.

Just then, I felt a tug I never felt before. My energy, or Chi, felt like a rope was tied around it, like a guideline. I focussed on it, and I finally felt a sense of nostalgia.

_You miss me already?_

I was startled by the voice in my head. Without a body anymore, you'd think I'd be the only voice in my mind, but no. And this time, it felt different... as if I was speaking on the telephone with someone. I looked up at the sky.

_Is this... Truth?_

He laughed. _You seek passage to the Gate?_

_Yes, _I answered. No hesitation.

_Think clearly before you decide. _He waited a good few moments, and I felt like I lost contact with him. I listened hard until he spoke up again. _You should know by now about how I work._

It took me a moment to catch his drift. _Do you mean... equivalent exchange?_

_Yes._

_But I already gave you my ticket to the afterlife, _I bristled. _What more can you take?_

_Oh, I can think of one thing. Rest assured, it will pay for your trip there and back._

I waited.

_You're pretty determined in getting your body back, and therefore I know that it's something very dear to you. What I ask for is that, when you do retrieve it, that you cut your time with it short._

_What do you mean? _I was shocked, angry, devastated. What did he mean...?

_I'm asking for a fraction of your vitality; of your life. Now see, unlike a soul, a life can be divided. There are instances and circumstances that hinder lifespans. Since life is so valuable, it could be split more than once and still be enough to pay the price. _As if that made it sound any better! _In conclusion, what you would be giving up is your chance to live to a decent age._

_Homunculi don't age anyway,_ I interjected. He chuckled, and I suddenly felt doubtful of myself. Did he know something that I didn't...?

_Regardless, you won't live for as long as you'd originally be capable._

_...alright. How much?_

_A quarter. A quarter will be enough._

A quarter, huh? It wouldn't have mattered, since homunculi live as long as their Stones are maintained... I could live on forever if I wanted to, and the agreement would be void. But then, I had that feeling that Truth was tricking me into something... did something like Fate really exist, and I was destined to die? When? I wouldn't be able to know.

I'd been through too much to care if a quarter of my life was going to be taken. One would be scared of the notion, but I only feared for my loved one.

_Tell me, Truth,_ I started. _What happens to a living person when they pass the Gate? Someone like an alchemist?_

_Oh? They would appear much like you would. They'd pay for their ticket to and from that place before the venture, through alchemic methods._

_Would they be able to see a spirit like myself?_

_Who knows. _I made a distraught noise and he laughed at me. _You'd have to pay up for more answers. I've already been too generous._

I rolled my eyes. I thought it was worth a try. A quarter of my life away... it wouldn't have mattered if Edward was dead. I needed to check.

_I accept your price._

_You're just full of surprises. I'm going to enjoy spending eternity with you._

* * *

Tom didn't sign up for this.

He was used to sneaking and hiding from people; _that_ shouldn't be misunderstood as the problem. His senses were always sharp as he regarded every corner and every path. He often held May or Yoki back from unintentionally getting seen. For the majority of his life, he had to hide from people in Korius. The only difference here was that he wasn't stealing from anyone. What remained the same was that he had to avoid getting captured and apprehended. What Yoki said was true... they were considered criminals, or something. May obviously didn't like the idea, but it was true.

What he didn't sign up for was Scar's mission to kill all State Alchemists.

He recognized it as it was. Scar tried to kill Edward and Alphonse that day. Did May know? She didn't seem to, because she didn't even bat an eye that her companion was about to terminate the person she wanted to meet. She obviously never met the brothers before. Was Tom to tell her? He didn't know. The main point was that Scar was truly a person aimed to kill. It felt dangerous to be around him for most of the time.

Most of the time.

"Oh, Xiao Mei,..." May sniffled by the makeshift fire. She rubbed her eye groggily, frustrated tears cascading down. "Where could you be?"

"She's very important to you, isn't she?" Tom shuffled closer to her and set a hand on her shoulder gingerly. She accepted the gesture.

"We've been through a lot together. I took care of her and raised her when no one else would, not even her own mother," she replied tearfully. Tom smiled ruefully.

"I'm sure she'll turn up. I could tell she loves you very much."

She suddenly shrilled, making Tom jump back;

"WHERE COULD YOU BE, XIAO MEI?"

Then she commenced to bawl. Yoki jerked the fire out of the way of her waterworks, but only got his hands burnt. Tom returned to her side and started petting her shoulder awkwardly, not sure if that would help at all.

Scar stood up, and he started walking away. Yoki, nursing his comical wounds, noticed and called out.

"Master."

Tom found it strange at first, the position of authority in the group. May had called Yoki _master _and Scar a _servant_. Now Yoki called Scar _master._At first Tom was confused, but figured out that the true leader here was Scar. Yoki couldn't possibly boss around someone like that. Yoki was considered the leader to May perhaps because he was the one that picked her up from the desert.

"There's still some time left before the sun rises." He pulled his hood up, covering his face. "There shouldn't be a lot of military officers on-duty at this time."

May looked up. "You'll help me look for her?"

She didn't get a reply, but Scar stood there patiently. Tom was surprised by this act of compassion. May wiped her tears away. "You're such a nice person."

"His people died out in that civil war," Yoki whispered. Tom looked over at him, but he was addressing the little girl. "So maybe he's empathizing with you and your weak clan?"

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to look for her?"

May responded to Scar's bark with a shout of joy. "Yes, I'm coming!"

"I'll help you too," Tom offered. He jumped to his feet and took a step, but he winced. He stumbled to the side and pressed his hand to the wall.

"Your ankle is still healing," May reprimanded. She smiled softly. "Thank you for the kind words and help, but you should stay here."

"But..."

"No buts. We'll be back soon."

Tom gave a small smile of his own when May persisted. She smiled in return, then ran off after Scar, who was now rounding the corner. When they disappeared, Tom seated himself back at the fire, left with Yoki.

"You never explained why you're tagging along with us, boy."

He looked up at the man. He didn't look like he was accusing Tom for keeping secrets, though; he was looking at him reproachfully, as if it was the right thing to do. Yoki had already explained his story before, so perhaps he thought it fair if he knew Tom's purpose too. The boy didn't blame him for that, since he would feel the same way in his position.

"I'm looking for Edward Elric as well," Tom said. "I need to ask him some questions."

Yoki smiled hopelessly. "Why is that Fullmetal boy so famous, I wonder? I hope he hasn't meddled in your affairs."

"No... well, I met him before, if that counts. He helped us out in a way."

"At least you have a better idea of who he is. Poor May doesn't know what the brat looks like." Calling Edward a 'brat' wasn't exactly a word Tom would use, but considering Yoki's history with him, there was some distaste. It wasn't a vengeful vendetta, but more of an annoyance. Yoki sighed. "What do you need to ask of him?"

"There's something specific I wanted to ask him, about alchemy."

"I suppose that's the first thing that goes to your mind, isn't it?" Tom gave him a questioning look. "Alchemists run after knowledge like dogs playing fetch. Can't you focus on other things, like wealth and luxury? Maybe even love, if you're lucky?"

Tom didn't know about wealth and luxury, since neither interested him, but love... "I have no one left, and pursuing alchemy is the only thing I can do. I'm also looking for something to prove."

"Prove? You've got some scientific theory in mind?"

"Well, I think it runs deeper than that." Malice entered his mind's eye. She smirked, brandishing her canines, her violet eyes gazing at him hatefully. In moments, the smile lost its disdain and grew more delicate. The violet lost saturation, until it was a soft gray. He rubbed his temple tiredly. There was no proof, but Urami still had to exist. "But it's hard to explain."

"Well, I wish you luck with that theory of yours. You'll need it." Yoki whined whimsically. "This life of ours is much too complicated, isn't it?"

Yes. Very.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _11 pages is a healthy number, wouldn't you say?

I didn't think I'd be able to get my ideas after my long absence, but look at that! I got some new ideas too! I'm not sure if they override my previous ones, but I'll just have to decide that in my next brainstorming session.

There were four perspectives in this chapter! FOUR! I think that's good enough for you, right? X'D

Hope you liked the chapter, and I hope to hear what you guys think. I'll say it again and again and again; I really appreciate all your reviews :) And please catch any grammar mistakes, thanks! See you next chapter!

~Vixen


	34. Transcend

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 34

I don't quite know how to describe the feeling of losing a portion of my life.

It's nothing you'd expect. I mean, you'd think it would be painful, ripping apart something like vitality. Like ripping a leach or tick from the skin, away from its new home. But it wasn't like that... I could definitely feel it, but it didn't hurt at all. It was like taking in a cold, deep breath; my lungs felt cool and clear, and anything that was polluting my breathing was slipping away. Diminishing. I felt tingly, strange, the type of feeling that you can't hate at all because you were intrigued by it. Although, I knew that it wasn't to be mistaken for a good feeling.

Just like last time, I was thrown forward through a river of my memories, from the very beginning, all of them seen again until my return to earth. After that, memories of Ling, the new Malice, and the pain in Edward's eyes joined the pool of my mind.

Then, I was in nothingness. My Gate to the world of the living shut behind me, and I stumbled to a stop. I looked around my surroundings.

"Truth?"

At the next turn, I found him in front of me, making me jump. Again, I thought it so strange and disturbing that he appeared in my body's silhouette, especially when he spoke. It just didn't fit. He had his hands folded behind his back and he leaned toward me, smiling.

_So what was it you wanted to do, exactly?_

I took a couple steps back from him, to maintain my personal space. I looked around. "I feel that Edward and Ling have passed a type of Gate. I want to look for them here, to make sure that they're okay."

_You traded a quarter of your life for such a trivial errand? _Truth shook his head. _And if you don't find them?_

I sighed. There was a small sinking feeling at the bottom of my stomach. "Then I guess that's a quarter of a life gambled."

_Well, if your Edward __**had **__passed the Gate, you wouldn't find him here._

I gave him a stern look. "And that means...?"

_Well, if that's __**your **__Gate," _he gestured behind me, _"Then he has to have his own. It was the same deal with... __what was her name... your original self._

He was referring to Margaret. So... the Gate she used to enter my and Malice's mind wasn't the only Gate in existence. That was probably one of the reasons why the children couldn't leave with her. I don't know... it was already getting too confusing.

"So, that means Ling and Edward would be separated, then?"

_Supposedly._

I tilted my head and looked at him skeptically. "Can't you tell me if they're here or not? You're _Truth, _for goodness sake."

_Prices, prices,_ he sang, jutting one foot in front of the other in a mild-type of military march. _I don't do much for you humans for free. I just watch, laugh, and give you little hints. If you want an answer, perhaps you should try finding it yourself? Entertain me._

I sighed, looking up. I don't know why I did that, because there was no sky to lose myself in. Same thing when I looked down at the "ground". I thought really hard about whether or not I just wasted a part of my life getting here, and where Ling and Edward could possibly be.

_You __**have**__ the ability to find what you're looking for, _Truth mused. I looked up, waiting. _You can do what the people of Xing can. You know, like that friend of yours..._

Like Ling? It took me a moment to connect the dots, since I didn't know that much about their culture. Ling's memories gave me a brief idea, but I couldn't know absolutely everything by glimpsing. But then, I realized that I was thinking too broad... I already knew well of what the people of Xing were known for. They can sense spirits and energy around them and nearby.

"Can I sense the dead, then?" I inquired. "I'm not sure that'll be helpful..."

_No. You can sense the __**living.**_

"I don't think that's the case," I said doubtfully. "If I could do that, I wouldn't have used a cat to find the hotel Edward and Alphonse stayed at. I had no idea where they were."

_But you found your friend in a short amount of time, after he fought in your stead._

Again, it took me a moment to decipher his wording, but I found the meaning. He was talking about finding Ling shortly after the argument between Edward and himself. Now that I thought about it, it seemed very strange... I knew exactly where was I going, or my mind seemed to. And it didn't take me a few tries to find him in the correct building; I just... found him.

"I... was extremely lucky," I faltered. Truth smirked at me and tipped his body sideways.

_You were developing without realizing it. You're spending so much time as a spirit that you're beginning to grow accustomed to how everything feels. It's like training a sense of smell... in the end, you can tell from one person to another, and wherever they are, you can find them._

"But how?"

_I'm not the spirit here. I wouldn't be able to tell you. It is __**you **__who should be able to figure that out._

I pursed my lips and closed my eyes. Only I could find him? Not likely. Truth knew everything, so he could have found Edward in the blink of an eye, but he refused to make this easy. Well... how was I to do it? Did Edward have something about him that I was well acquainted with? I'd have liked to say that I was well-acquainted with all of him. But what could that _mean?_

Well, I could understand it a little. I admit that Edward felt differently from, let's say, Ling. I would have these strange thoughts at the back of my mind when I was in their presence, all of which I overlook the next second or so. With Edward, I thought of the talisman he made for me... a brief feeling of yearning followed. With Ling, you know what I thought of?... that bowl of tempura I made him in our first dream-session, and I'd feel a small tingle of mirth. Always, always. I don't know why I didn't notice it until now.

Maybe that was something...? I mean, that was as close as it got to sensing auras. I could sometimes feel where they were, but could I do that in a space, absent of time, like this?

As far as I tried, I felt nothing... there was no presence like Edward's in this place. Neither was Ling anywhere. How did I know I was successful in my venture? I opened my eyes and looked at Truth, who was standing there patiently.

"I think I'm doing this wrong," I told him. "I don't feel Edward or Ling anywhere."

_No, you're doing it right, _he said. My teeth clenched at that.

"...they're...not here... are they?"

Truth shrugged, but the fact he didn't say anything, the fact he kept that taunting smile on his face...

I gave up a quarter of my life for nothing. How stupid could I have been? How could I have thought that me coming here would solve anything, anyway? Would I be able to bring Edward and Ling back? I was useless. I couldn't do anything. If they weren't here, where were they? Were they... gone...? What was Alphonse—

In the back of my head, I heard something... someone hit a steel drum. Very close-by. It was faint, but it echoed.

"Alphonse... he's not here," I said to reassure myself. "I felt him... but that can't be possible... he's back there, with Gluttony. He's—"

Partly there.

_He's here, and then he's not here,_ Truth trilled. _Very good. Follow that, and I'm sure you'll get what you're looking for._

At that moment, I guess I didn't know what exactly I was looking for. I just had to follow the flow. I closed my eyes tight and tried to imagine, to distinguish where the echoes were resonating from. It took some time, but soon I found a given point, and without thinking, I leapt in that direction. I left Truth behind, but I knew he'd be around, always. I flew, unbound by anything, and I could have been completely distracted by the exhilarating feel, if I wasn't concerned by what had happened to Ling and Edward. I felt like I passed by many structures, by many Gates... but all I could think about was the sound. It was getting louder...

I stepped down, feeling as if I was holding my breath. With great hesitation, I opened my eyes.

Two Gates were before me. One was untouched, it seemed like. It had a lot more intricate designs on it, with more symbols and words. Maybe this was a collection of a knowledge exceeding my own. I turned to the other, and it was very similar... the only difference here was there was someone... there...

An extremely malnourished boy sat cross-legged before it. His dirty-blonde hair draped past his shoulders and touched his narrow waist. His skin tightly covered his ribs, and his bones looked as if they would snap under little pressure. He wore no clothes, and I felt slightly modest, but I was more intrigued and confused. The figure turned to look over his shoulder to look at me. His eyes were dark, unsaturated, but he... resembled Edward.

I walked up to him and reached his side. I overlooked his nakedness and crouched down, keeping contact with his face.

"Alphonse...?"

"Have you seen my soul yet?"

I gave him a quizzical look, and he in return gave me a sad smile.

"I've been waiting for so long... and I'm sure he has been, too."

"You're his body," I verified hesitantly. He nodded. I could not understand how a _body _could have a... a personality on its own, in the absence of the soul. I crossed my arms. "Yes... you've been here for a long time. But Edward will get you. He promised."

"I can't leave without my soul." He was saying that with a remorseful tone. He was forced to memorize rules he didn't believe, forced to accept them. "My soul can't take me back if nothing takes my place here."

"I know that," I said sympathetically. I reached down and touched his shoulder. I could touch him, which meant I had a physical form... I think... "That doesn't mean that it'll never happen. Have faith. I'm trying to join with my body, too."

Those eyes of his were so soft, and yet they had the power to smother me. That ability definitely ran in the family or something. He may not have been my lover, but he had a way of making you feel light-headed and hazy. As if you just wanted to sit down and stay with him for a while, and no words were needed at all.

"I wish you luck," he told me softly.

At that moment, I heard a colossal sound that made my soul quiver. The Gate behind me shut and rattled the silence, and in its wake followed a series of groans. I froze on the spot.

"Alright... I'm here."

I had to. I had to turn around. Slowly, I turned my body, and sure enough... Edward was there. He was recollecting himself from where he fell out of the other Gate, and he hadn't noticed us yet. He was looking at his own Door in thought. I noticed how dirty he was, bandaged, and covered in blood. I hoped it wasn't his own. Then, he turned around, and I held my breath. He hadn't seen us yet, as he first noticed the fact that there was another Gate other than his own. He muttered something to himself.

That's when his gaze fell upon us. His eyes went wide, his mouth dropped and his breath cut short. I waited, tense... the body of Alphonse looked over his shoulder as well, and he gave the brother an empty gaze, as he had to me.

"Al?" he strangled out. His eyes crumpled a little. "...Urami?"

He could see me. _He could see me!_

I couldn't help it. "Edward!"

Edward got to his feet immediately and started running toward us desperately. I ran for him too, but Alphonse didn't. He couldn't. I faltered, looking back at him, but I knew that it wasn't his time yet. I heard the Gate behind Edward open, and children's laughter floated through the space, along with hissings and slithers. I turned back and saw serpentine, black hands come out and latch onto Edward's running form. He insisted on plowing through with all his might, but even his efforts couldn't outlast theirs. His progress was decreased, halted, then erased... The arms were pulling him back. I reached him, and we joined hands instantly. He pulled me close, staring deep into my eyes, checking that I was real. The type of euphoria I felt then, I wouldn't be able to describe it to you. I knew that I couldn't fight the hands, so I followed him as he struggled to stay.

"Urami, Urami," he kept repeating. "It's really you... you're coming with me..."

He looked past me, to his brother. "Alphonse! Come on, Al! Hurry! Come with us!"

"I can't," Alphonse replied for a second time. The sadness was deeper this time. "You're not my soul."

"Then you just wait!" The hands nearly ripped Edward off the ground now, almost hoisting him into the darkness of the Gate. "Someday, I'll come and bring you back. Wait for me! _Wait for me!_"

He was snatched into the portal, and I followed him. I was frightened, that maybe because of some stupid rule, I would be pulled back into the realm of Truth to exit out of my own Gate. That wasn't the case... it was either because I had spirit benefits or Truth was being courteous with me. Whatever the case was, I was beyond relieved... Traveling through the images didn't matter anymore.

Edward pulled me into his arms as we were pulled across space and time. "Urami... I..."

"We don't have that much time," I whispered. I looked up at him closely, and I placed my hand on his face. He moved into it, relishing my touch. "Edward, it's very important that you listen to me. I'm still alive, but I don't have my body. Ling was telling you the truth. Malice has my body, but I'm trying everything I can to get it back. Do you understand me?"

I don't know if the passage of Truth was taking up the majority of his mind, but he kept his gaze with me, as if he really was intently listening to me. I had to believe that he was. "You will not see me," I continued hastily. "You will not hear me. I won't always be around because I need to keep tabs on other things around you. But when I _am _around, the only way I can talk to you is in your dreams. It's very important that you believe me! That you believe _in _me!"

"I believe in you," he breathed. He leaned in and pressed his forehead against mine. "I believe in you. I'm sorry."

I sighed, and I smiled at him softly, laughing. Tears collected in the corners of my eyes as I teased him affectionately. "Stupid alchemist. I love you so much."

He laughed, and I felt like he wanted to say more, but the trip was now ending. I could feel myself disappearing, losing my physical form. He felt it too, and he knew he had too little time. He reached for my face, and before I could completely slip through his fingers, he gave me a deep, passionate kiss. I wish I had more time to return it.

So, was it worth a quarter of my life to return back to the world of Truth? ...I thought it was. Who would have known that I would have an opportunity to see and actually _speak_with Edward ever again? It may have been a regret in the future, but only if I saw it as one. And frankly, that was something that was easy to discard from my mind.

When I gathered my bearings, I found myself having a bit of déjà vu... among the smoke and red electricity, I found myself back in the place I first arrived to; Father's Lair below Central. I looked behind me and saw a... I don't know what I saw. It was grotesque, horrifying, and cruel... a monster made up of crying, moaning souls, a green lizard with two too many limbs... what _was _this?

"Brother!"

I looked around and I saw Alphonse. How did he get there so quickly? Behind him, I saw Gluttony, crawling along the ground painfully, a trail of blood in his wake. Was it through him that we returned? It was a confusing concept that I couldn't fathom, but I'm sure someone with greater hindsight than my own could. Also, both Gluttony and Alphonse made their way here in my absence, which didn't seem that long. Maybe time went by a different pace in those worlds. I guessed Alphonse wanted to find some answers, so he came to the source... but it was so precarious, I wanted to yell at him for wandering into the lion's den.

Alphonse ran right through me, and I could hear the metal drum in my head. Yes... I actually met his body on the other side. I yelped when he ran through me, since I was worried I could damage his seal, but nothing happened. He sort of faltered in his step, but he made up for it and ran to his brother, who was the first priority. Edward was somewhat buried in some residue of the monster they travelled with. Alphonse fished him out, and the elder sat up, dazed.

"Brother..." Alphonse repeated. Edward's eyes focussed, and he looked up.

"Al? Al in the armour... which means..." A smirk appeared on his face and he closed his eyes. He curled his automail fist, held it up beside him, and waited as another hand bumped his, emerging from the green beasts. I smiled with relief at the sight of the two companions, now on terms with one another.

Ling smiled in return. "We were able to get back."

"Yeah."

At that moment, there was a tearful reunion with the brothers, and I couldn't help but smile wider. Alphonse was truly concerned, and I couldn't blame him. The possible fact that he would never see his brother again... Edward apologized for worrying him, and he looked like he wanted to say more, but his surroundings finally made themselves known and important. He stood up.

"Where the hell are we?"

"What a surprise."

Why didn't I notice him sooner?

The brothers and Xingese prince summoned their guard up and turned to the approaching figure of Father. He had a hand held up, perched at his chin. He pensively observed them. "Humans came out of his stomach? Now this is something I need to look into."

* * *

Malice stood very still in the tunnel. Something felt strange... a force rode past like a wave, reminding her of a heartbeat. She turned around and faced the wall, but if her thoughts were right, it was from the direction where Central roughly was. It was a massive power, whatever it was that travelled this far. Malice rocked the lantern at her side in contemplation.

"Did you feel that too, Pride?"

No reply. He wasn't in this section, apparently. Not that Malice missed him, but when she wanted answers, it annoyed her to have to speak to herself and end up answerless regardless.

It was cold in that tunnel; she could see her breath in front of her. Her skin stung where it was exposed to the air, and she had to alternate changing into the Ore from time to time. She couldn't stay in the Ore because, for some reason, her joints would lock up and the surface of her arms would sting even moreso than before. She deduced that, even though she was indestructible in her Ore, her insides were still soft, warm and tender. The shock between the cold metal and core was too much. Her power was just a shell, and that fact made her even more annoyed. Such a weakness...

Why was it so cold, anyway? Malice didn't know the layout of Amestris, didn't know the size. She knew it was a large country, but didn't know that it had an arctic north. Was she even in Amestris anymore? Or in the outskirts of Drachma? Who knew. She was at the opposite end of the circle, that's all she knew. If Sloth was anywhere close to finishing, he would knock down the wall far ahead and meet her.

Whatever it was that she felt, it soon left her mind. She wasn't scheduled to leave for Central until... well... it took her a second to remember. Until the tunnel was finished, yes. That's what Pride said. She wished it was earlier, because during all this free time, patrolling, her mind thought too much about what she shouldn't have thought about.

She was fully aware that she had forgotten things. She conversed this with Envy without any trouble. So why was it that she was caring enough to remember?

She remembered me a little. Human side. Urami. But over time, she had convinced herself that I was just the result of a mental disorder. I _had _to be a figment of Malice's own imagination. I couldn't be anything more. Yes... Malice just wasn't getting enough chances to hurt people. That was it. In her withdrawl, she was going mad, having conversations with someone that didn't exist. Father fixed that problem right up.

But...

"I've forgotten someone else," she muttered as she walked back the way she came. She would go far into the tunnel she was in now, and she would take a shortcut eventually. She hoped her mind would be preoccupied with the task of finding her way... but she had something else on her mind.

"Someone... important? …Greed...?"

Envy had asked her how she felt about Greed's death. She had no recollection of him. If Envy, of all people, wanted to see some sort of grief or anger in Malice in response, then he had to have been important to her. However, with all of her might, he couldn't remember him, or whatever _thoughts_ she had of him (she wouldn't believe that she had _feelings _for him. Not yet). Perhaps it was best that way, anyway. He was dead, and he wasn't ever coming back. One less possible problem. That was the end of all this wondering.

She continued to wonder.

* * *

I stood back and watched the chaos. I was concerned, confused... so many questions pooled in my mind.

Well, first, just to get it out of the way... that monster that accompanied Ling and Edward back was Envy. _Envy? _How could such a huge creature exist in a tiny body? It was insane. And how could he have hidden that nature from me when I first discovered I could feel the homunculi's sins?

Second, I was glad that Father didn't mean to kill the Brothers, but Ling wasn't going to be spared. That wouldn't do. I knew Edward wouldn't let anything happen to him, now that he knew Ling was an ally he could have always trusted. I wished they didn't choose to fight Father, but there was no other way. I watched with hope, but as soon as Father rendered all alchemy useless, I knew things wouldn't go our way... he did just as the Alchemist did long ago. This was where my creator got his power; there was no denying it. My heart beat faster when my loved ones were rendered useless.

I knew Edward and his brother would be spared, but Ling? I was scared for him the most. He was trapped under Gluttony, absolutely immobile. I had gone up to his side and reached out for him. His head inclined and he had acknowledged my presence, but there were no words left to say, were there?

"He could be good for the job."

The both of us looked up at Father, who looked down at Ling in consideration. He turned fully, and pressed a finger to his forehead. "I may be able to make another pawn."

Within a second, a third eye appeared in the center of his head, and it appeared to be crying blood... but it was more than that. Alphonse said it out loud first; a Philosopher's Stone. I could tell that Ling was intrigued...

"So you're planning to do it?" Envy asked. His hands pressed the Elric brothers down further in place, and he lowered his head. "...what about her, then?"

The Philosopher's Stone dripped into Father's hand, where it gathered and nearly solidified. He said with a dry air: "She has forgotten about him. There will be no further complication."

They were talking about Malice. What did she have to do with—?

Gluttony ripped off the bandage from Ling's cheek, where a cut started to bleed again. The brothers started to fight against Envy even more fiercely, trying to create alchemy, anything.

"He has people waiting for his return!" Edward shouted. He reached back and grabbed a gun from his belt. "Let him go!"

"It's fine! Don't shoot!"

Everyone, including myself turned our gaze to Ling. His face was pressed into the ground, but he made an effort to look straight at Edward. He pointed his finger at him. "Don't interfere. This is fine by me! I came to this country to find a Philosopher's Stone, and he's just going to give it to me like that. It's exactly what I wished for!"

"What the hell are you saying?" Edward protested. I wasn't far from feeling the way he did.

_No, Ling! Don't be an idiot! _I shouted. As expected, he didn't hear me. I tried to get as angry as I could, so that he could feel the energy of my emotion. He may have felt it, but he obviously overlooked it. He even chuckled, and muttered very lowly...

"See you later, Dreamweaver."

_No..._

"Oh? Sounds interesting. Then, as you wish... it's all yours."

_No, no, no, no, no! _Father tipped his hand, and the Philosopher's Stone fell. I tried to swipe it away in midair, to alter its course, but my Chi gave out in the wrong time... it did nothing... the Stone landed on his cheek, then, as if it was alive, it coursed and slithered into Ling's cut. Immediately, his body started to convulse uncontrollably, skin splitting and exploding in places. I was mortified, but I couldn't bring myself to leave his side. I thought that, maybe, I would ease his pain as I did with Lan Fan... but when I touched him, I couldn't enter his soul. Something was happening, more spiritually than physically...

"Ling!"

"I..." he gasped, "I told you not... to interfere! It's fine... just wait for me...

"I am the man... who will become the Emperor of Xing... Ling Yao!"

The process of a human-based homunculus was nothing like human transmutation... I don't think the children were in pain when they became a part of me. They were terrified, and they had their lives stolen from them, but I don't know about pain. And I felt nothing of it. I was just birthed. Ling's transformation was simply harsh, cruel, and hard to watch. His screams made my heart cry out, I wanted to help him so badly but couldn't.

It lasted for a few more seconds—it felt like an eternity to me—, and then, the screaming stopped. He had his face toward the far ceiling, arms spread wide. Solid, stiff, until his back sagged and he cracked his neck, sighing. The motion confused me, and the grunt that followed... what was with his voice? I drew away to get a clearer look of him, and... he... _followed _my movement. He didn't just sense me move away. He actually _looked _at me, his eyes opened wider than usual. He didn't say anything. I didn't either, and that's not because there was no one around to hear me. I was speechless.

"Ling...?" Edward called out doubtfully. The one addressed forgot about me and looked to him.

"Huh? You mean the one who owned this body, don't you?" I thought I'd never hear that voice again. The homunculus got to his feet and started unwrapping his left hand, which was previously bandaged. His teeth flashed in his suave smirk as his Ouroboros sat proudly on the back of his hand. "Sorry, pal... this body belongs to Greed now."

Greed... reborn? Was he the same one? And what happened to Ling?

Well, after finding out that this person before me was Greed with a new slate—with no memory of his past life—, Scar and the strange little girl arrived. Their alchemy worked... and yet, when the Brothers were free and had tried alchemy of their own, theirs didn't work. I'd go into further detail on how the 'war' went, but my mind was still twisting around the idea of what just happened to my friend. Was Ling... gone for good? I watched Edward confront with Greed... the homunculus was the same, he had the same personality, but he just didn't remember that he ran away from Father for a reason. Now he served him once again.

Scar and the girl fled (or so I thought, since I didn't know what Alphonse had done...), Greed subdued Edward, and Envy was ordered to bring the brothers up to King Bradley up on the surface. At first, I wanted to follow the brothers and stick close to them, but I knew I would find them later. Ling... or Greed, or Lingreed, or whatever... he had seen me. I had to make sure of it...

Greed was rubbing his eyes, looking a little bit disgruntled. Edward definitely said something that triggered another thing, but I wasn't sure. When the doors closed after Envy and the brothers, Father reached his side and slapped a hand on his shoulder.

"You did very well for your first job," he congratulated. "A pleasant return. Welcome back."

"Thanks, pops," Greed replied. He dispelled the vexed look on his face and a smile took place upon his lips. I circled them, keeping my eyes on Greed. I knew I should've expected it, but my heart jumped when our gazes matched and latched on. He followed me as I side-stepped, so I stopped. The smile on his face faltered.

"We're alone now?" he asked carefully. Father turned around and approached the scorching body of Gluttony, who exceeded his body's potential.

"Aside from the three of us, there is no one here with us," Father stated. "Lust is dead. Sloth is off on his assignment, and Malice is accompanying him. Wrath is upstairs, playing his persona. You just saw Envy leave. Pride is carrying out various duties..."

At the mention of Malice, Greed's back straightened, stiff. I had thought that, maybe, it really _was _him, but no. "Malice isn't a deadly sin. I thought you wanted to be consistent."

"No, it's not. Malice is a human transmutation homunculus, but very powerful and interesting. A useful pawn."

"Ah." And that was the end of that. Malice left Greed's mind considerably quickly, and he turned his attention back to me. "So no one else is here?"

"I already answered this question..." Father bent down and, just as I saw him do to Malice once, he plunged his hand into Gluttony. The homunculus wasn't conscious to feel it, so no noise of pain left his throat. Father extracted the Stone from Gluttony, and immediately the body crumbled to dust. Father stood up and turned around, looking back to his son. He didn't see me, obviously.

"No one else is here, got it," Greed said. He looked at me uncertainly. He wasn't going to say it out loud, and that was a good thing for the both of us. I didn't want Father knowing I still existed; if he knew, he would probably eliminate any possibilities of me returning. Malice was essential to that, so if he took her away... and Greed was wise not to say anything, or else he'd look crazy or defective.

Father walked past him. "I have to prepare Gluttony's rebirth. I will return shortly and tell you of your assignment."

"Sure thing."

Father left with Gluttony's Stone, leaving Greed and I in the aftermath of today's adventures. I tilted my head. I saw Greed's eyes flicker from each of my eyes, and his back straightened, looking bored.

"Urami, right?"

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N:_Okay!

Bad cliff hanger, I know, but I wanted to get this to guys ASAP! With an important announcement! **I'm going away to Poland tomorrow, and I won't be coming back until August 11****th****! **XD

So yeah! I just wanted to update before I leave you hanging again... but this isn't new right? You guys are extremely patient with me, and I'm glad for it, truly. Thanks so much! And I hope to read all your reviews when I come back :)

Another thing! Don't be alarmed by the name change XD I'm still BladeOfCrimson, but I thought that a little pen-name would look nice. You know, like some authors, like Thomas Harris. And it was about time I shed that name, I've been having it for years. From now on,_ I Was Sent to Kill You_ and other stories are written by Veran Shade :) Sorry if it's going to take some time to get used to~

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Tell me what you think! -heart-

~Vixen


	35. Progress

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 35

"Urami, right?"

That caught me by surprise. I had taken a step back in reflex, but then I took two steps forward. _How do you know—?_

Greed pointed to himself. "The owner of this body knows who you are. So he told me."

_Ling is still in there?_

"Yep. He's stubborn; he's still trying to gain his body back."

I let out a sigh of relief. At least he wasn't dead. I grew serious again. _But how can you see me?_ I asked. _No one can._

"Hell if I know. Well... maybe this guy can see you because he's only a soul now. Since we're connected, I guess I can see you, too."

I stepped closer to him, hesitant. He observed my movement, smirking a little.

_Don't you... recognize me?_I inquired dubiously. He scoffed.

"Me, or your friend?"

_No, you..._ I straightened my back, squaring my shoulders. _Greed._

"No, not in the slightest," he replied easily. His brow quirked, and he smiled slyly. "Why?"

I ignored that question. I was more focussed on my own.

_You don't remember anyone who looks like me?_

"What, like your sister?" Greed shook his head. "No. You're persistent, aren't you?"

I retreated to formulate my thoughts. He waited, watching me with an amused eye. He said something about how he doubted he'd ever seen a spirit in any of his previous lives, but I didn't respond to that.

_So you really aren't the same..._ I muttered to myself. His head tilted in question, and I beckoned to him. _I knew the Greed before you._

"Ah, I see." He brushed off his shoulder and swept his thumb quickly across his upper lip. "That stuff doesn't interest me. I'm more interested in the things I can claim _now._"

That didn't change. I furrowed my brows. _What about Ling?_

"What about him?" he chuckled. "This is my body now. He's just along for the ride, like a parasite."

His choice of word to describe Ling strongly reminded me of Malice. What would she do if she met Greed again? That was a possibility now. Neither of them would remember the other so... would they still become as close as they had been before? Or was that time good and buried, unable to repeat itself? And what if they _did_remember? That would definitely trouble Father, and who knew what would happen. I shook my head to banish the thoughts. This wasn't the time to think of that yet. I had to check if my friend was truly okay. I needed to speak to him myself.

I approached Greed, and it was here that his smile faltered. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

_I need to speak with him..._I reached my hand forward, palm open. He shuffled back a step, indecisive, but then he stood still to meet my touch. Maybe he was curious. Maybe he thought I was harmless. Whatever the reason, I touched his chest and entered his soul for the first time.

I was prepared this time, having Gluttony remind me the day before what a homunculus' soul did to me. The thing was though, this time, I was looking for someone else lost in this sin. It was a lot harder to multitask, to maintain my sanity as well as dive further into the soul. I watched as Edward crossed my eyes, advancing towards me, entering my arms and never pulling away. He was _mine_, forever... how could I resist an image like that? That kind of greed was not so bad, was it? This was the story I yearned for. I would take him away with me, away from the military, away from the homunculi...

_Away from Winry, away from Alphonse._

It was here that I knew the greed was digging too deeply. I tried to dispel the incoming image of my body returning to me, in case it lead to another. But it came anyway...

"Urami!"

Saved, in this pool of madness. I peered into the thousands of demented faces and saw Ling materialize before me. I briefly saw his visage between lapses, because the sin were feeding my desires to me.

"Urami, you..."

"I just wanted to know if you were really okay," I forced out. My real voice sounded in this mess, and I felt as if it were really similar to the space beyond the Gate. Thinking was clearly very difficult. My brows knitted upward. "You've lost your body... just as I had."

He tucked his hands into his sleeves and, despite the circumstances, smiled. "Yeah, I have, but not to worry. I've got the Philosopher's Stone now. It's not so bad." I was about to argue a point but he beat it away when I hadn't even said it yet. "I will regain my body. So will you, Urami. Maybe not now, but one day in the future, very soon. Let's keep trying, together."

At this point, I could only nod. Ling reached for my hand and gave it a short squeeze. I couldn't offer my own decent goodbye and ended up discharging myself out of Greed's soul. I took several steps away from Greed, back in reality, and waited until time and space spun around me at a normal pace. Greed looked sort of winded himself; by far, I was within him the longest, and he was aware of my presence. He was different from the others, so I guessed it affected him uniquely.

He reached up and scratched his head. "Man, that was _strange._"

I grunted, still trying to gain my composure. _You have no idea._

"Don't do that again."

"Who are you talking to?"

We both turned to address Father, who returned from whatever he was doing. Something about Gluttony's rebirth, so he said. Was it another human-base birth, like Greed's? His robes were slightly looser than before, and when I glimpsed a part of his chest, I couldn't help but advert my eyes from the sight. No, not that kind of rebirth... a more grotesque kind. No veins swelled and pulsed in the center of a chest like that, as far as I knew... not naturally. I dared not look back at it again.

"Oh, it's nothing," Greed responded cooly. "I was just talking to the human I took over. He's very headstrong."

"Hmm. Malice had the same problem," Father recalled. "Except, she had multiple people to deal with. So I wiped them all out, leaving the energy component of their lives to be consumed. Would you like me to do that for you, too?"

I had a very deep, sinking dread, and I turned to Greed with a fearful expression. A fear for Ling. Greed didn't look at me at first, so I had time to wipe my face clean. I couldn't afford to look beseechingly at him... I couldn't risk shaking my head and begging... he might have done the opposite of my will, to spite me. But I knew, when he glanced that me, that he detected anxiety in my eyes. I couldn't hide _that_, no matter how hard I tried.

"Nah, I can handle it," he answered. I sighed in relief. "It's just one soul, and he actually sparks some interesting conversation..."

Father looked neither pleased nor convinced, but he yielded. "...Alright. However, if he gets out of hand, you must immediately tell me. I've had enough complications."

"Yeah, yeah." I pressed my hands together and said as sincerely as I could, _Thank you._His face didn't change, and he looked away from me. Obviously, he couldn't have possibly done it for me. Maybe he wanted to prove some character of independence from Father, and so he refused his help. It sort of reflected how he was before, and I couldn't deny that this Greed reminded me so much of the other.

"Now," Father said, setting a hand back on Greed's shoulder and steering him away. "Let's discuss what I want you to do..."

* * *

It felt like ages since Scar and May left.

Tom paced back and forth by the makeshift fire, Yoki watching him as he did so. It was morning now, a bright day, but that didn't calm the nervousness the young boy felt. Had they been spotted? Caught? ...killed?

"I can't sit here and wait, Mr. Yoki," he said, biting his thumbnail. His ankle felt strained, and a little hot. "Where could they be?"

"Central is a very big city, my boy," the man said. He tried to straighten out one whisker on his upper lip, only to have it crinkle back as it was. He sighed. "The very core of Amestris has to be strong, heavily-populated, just... large in general. They could be anywhere. Just because it takes them awhile doesn't means something bad happened to them."

Tom spat out the torn nail he bit free and wiped his thumb across the material of his shirt. It would have to be washed soon, perhaps in a river outside the city. "I just hope you're right," he grumbled.

"Well, while you're waiting," Yoki started, "why don't you go do what you came he for?" Tom gave him a quizzical look, and Yoki held up his hand in an encouraging manner. "Get your questions answered?"

The boy turned fully toward him. The fire was starting to dwindle now, which was all good and well. It was getting warm anyway, and the smoke was getting more and more likely to be noticed by other people. Since they were in a poor part of town, it could be dismissed, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Are the Elric Brothers even in Central still?" he muttered doubtfully.

"You came all this way, and now you're going fickle?" the older man shook his head. "There's only one way of knowing, and that's by checking in at the military branch they have there."

"And they'll answer me?"

"Well, if you clean yourself a bit, I suppose," Yoki got to his feet, patted his pants of any filth and puffed out his chest. He wasn't too successfully in fixing his appearance, but he stood up triumphantly as if he wore medals of high-rank on his breast, instead of mud-dotted, copper buttons. "You've got to show some class. Fix yourself up and I'll show you to Central Headquarters."

Tom was still doubtful, but he decided to take on Yoki's one, sound suggestion. He may be right; Xao May was really small, and Central _very_big. It would take Scar and May a long time to find her. And why not use this time to speak with Edward? He saw the Brothers earlier, and he wouldn't have known if they had left or not without searching them out. He'd hate to have missed them just because he took too long to decide.

"Alright." Tom straightened his jacket and tried his best to pick out the muck and soot he picked up on his journey, but they all left their marks regardless. There was nothing to do about that... When he thought he was done, Yoki came up to inspect him, erased some of his improvements and made his own. Tom thought he looked strange, but... Yoki used to be an official of some kind, so he had to know more about it than the boy. He appreciated the man's help, however surprising it was. Yoki seemed to be the type of person who was... well, spoiled, and snobbish. Maybe life hit him hard and dropped him in other moneyless company, so that he had some epiphany of some kind.

Soon, the fire was extinguished and they set out, sticking to the shadows.

The answers had to be within reach now.

* * *

I didn't stay around long. I just lagged behind to see whatever job it was that Father was assigning to Greed. Like Malice, he was given a boring job after rebirth. At least, that's how he put it. He was just supposed to patrol around, make sure no intruders or unwanted quests found themselves in places they weren't supposed to be. He was getting punished too, inadvertently, for his previous life. It was probably better than what Malice had on her plate, since Greed could at least move freely and actually see the light of day. Thinking of that, I wondered what Malice was doing now...

After that, Father only explained details that I found I already knew. I didn't think to stay longer, in case something new came up to my ears. Plus, I was getting more impatient... I knew I risked missing something, but I wanted to see if the Brothers were okay. Where did Envy take them, exactly? What did Wrath do with them? I still didn't know how to fly in this world, other than through possessing a bird, and since there was no bird underground, I had to leave naturally. As I parted, I felt Greed's eyes follow me.

Now, I was more conscious to this tracking-ability of mine. I knew where Edward was... direction-wise. I imagined the talisman in my mind, and I followed the feeling of longing as if I were grabbing onto the neckpiece, which was now hundreds of meters-long, depending where Edward was. The closer I got, the more excited and happy I became. I searched out Alphonse, too, and I followed the echoes of metal in the same direction...

As before, it took me a while to get to the end of the tunnels, but faster than last time because I'd already went through them once before. I passed through Laboratory Three without much more fascination, and once I stepped out into what was now daylight, I made my way, following the trail, to Central Headquarters. Yes, that's where they were... of course. King Bradley, even before being known as a homunculus, had power and control over the Brothers. That could be seen by anyone. No one could disobey the Führer without consequence. Clever Father... Of course, the Brothers hadn't done anything publicly to break any agreement, so now it just was the beginning, the warning. They nor anyone else would be harmed yet.

When I reached the gate of the property, my heart lifted when I saw the Brothers step out of the doors, unharmed, as I hoped. Edward had his fists stuffed into his pockets, looking solemn. His thinking face. He was probably trying to calculate a good plan or the next step, seeing as new things rose in the opposition. Alphonse trailed after him, slowly, as if he was carrying something delicate. His arms were empty, though, so I couldn't quite understand. I waited at the outer Gate for them. When they arrived there, they looked back at the building they just left, Edward's face betraying to a deep suspicious expression.

"We have to make sure Winry's okay," he whispered to Alphonse. The other nodded. It wasn't hard to suspect that Wrath threatened to hurt or kill Winry if the boys didn't stay in line. Damn blackmail.

They starting walking away from the building, and I started following them when—

"H-Hey! Wait! The Elric Brothers!"

They and I turned around to the voice, and my eyes widened. He changed somewhat since I last saw him, Tom. When he was escaping through the smog at the train-tracks, I couldn't see him in full detail, but as he ran up to the Brothers, I could tell something changed. I dunno, he looked a lot older... It wasn't so long ago that we met in Korius, was it?

He stopped near them and panted slightly. His last step was unstable, and he cried out for a second, but covered it up. From where he ran from, the older man from Scar's company was peering around the edge of an alleyway, watching them cautiously, or a little hostile when he looked at the Brothers.

Edward blinked at the boy in front of him and pointed in realization. "It's you!" he said. "That boy who—"

"Yeah, it's me. Tom." Tom said it as if he expected Edward to have forgotten his name. He nodded eagerly and smiled. "You don't know how much trouble I went to find you."

"We can imagine," Alphonse replied with a laugh. "Amestris is huge, and we don't stay in one spot... what happened to your leg? And... your ear...!"

"It's part of the story I want to tell you," he started. "You see, it's about Malice, and human transm—"

Both Brothers shot glances at each other, then at Central Headquarters. Edward stepped forth and pressed his hand against Tom's mouth, his other finger at his lips in warning. His eyes looked at Tom more seriously now. "Come with us," he said through undertone. "We'll talk in a more safe place."

Tom nodded hesitantly and Edward took his hand away. Tom pursed his lips to keep the words he wanted to say inside. I observed Edward before he turned around; he looked a lot more determined than before, more focussed and collective. I didn't know if he dismissed our meeting in Truth's realm as a dream, but it looked like he now had a burden lifted from his shoulders. It had eased him, and I was glad. I wondered when he would think of me again, or if he was still thinking about me now...

Edward lead Tom, while Alphonse took up the rear. The younger brother had a strange feeling to him, something different. I felt like his presence was much thicker, with more presences at once. Which was what it was... I heard a soft groan coming from inside him, and he put a hand to his center, as if he was soothing a stomach ache.

"Hang in there," he whispered to himself. So it seemed.

As he walked, I peeked my head inside, and was surprised to see the small Xingese girl from before. She looked in bad shape... I saw blood soaking up in her clothes and hair. She was curled up, with her eyes shut tightly, trying to banish the pain. She was breathing a little heavily. I was so concerned with the sight that I didn't expect anything else. Something growled, then launched itself at my head. I, having no physical being, was unharmed, and the small cat-thing that Alphonse took care of for a while crashed face-first into the inside of Alphonse.

"Shh! What's the matter with you? We're almost there, don't worry!" Alphonse continued after his brother and Tom, leaving me in my slower pace. I had to remember that animals could see me... Well, in any case, that creature was an opportunity for me to take possession of, if I ever needed it.

Instead of going to a hospital —as I expected— they came to the park. I had a stinging reminiscence of the time when Edward took me here. I saw the steps we fell down, and I smiled weakly at that memory. The talisman I received from him was born here. It was too bad that it reached its death so soon after its conception. The boys made it along the path, looking about them more often. They reached a phone booth, and Edward told Tom to wait nearby. Alphonse squeezed his head into the booth so he could listen for himself what Winry had to say. The boy from Korius looked excited that he even managed to find the Brothers, so he waited by, jittery.

After the phone call, Edward and Alphonse both let out sighs of relief. I stood by Tom, who watched in curiosity during their phone-call since they didn't tell him what they were doing. I kept looking at him, trying to figure out how he had changed so much, that I failed to stay aware of my surroundings. I got this strange feeling in my gut, and when I realized I didn't have a stomach, the feeling was much stronger. I had the sudden urge to reach out to something and curl my fingers around it, trapping it and claiming it for my own. What a greedy sensation... ah. Tom was the first to notice him, and I didn't know what he was trying to do with his mouth. It was gaping open then closing in confusion.

"You know, it's with that kind of desperate worry they're gonna manipulate you with."

Greed was leaning against the phonebooth, looking rather bored. The Brothers nearly jumped out of their skins —well, Alphonse out of his borrowed body. They cried out in alarm; "Ling!"

"No, it's Greed." The Ultimate Shield stood up and flashed his canines in a forced smile, looking slightly annoyed for being addressed the wrong name. His left hand was in his pants pocket, with the Ouroboros still in sight. His attire changed, and he looked suave in it. "Still."

Edward found himself and faced him aggressively. "What do you want?"

Almost immediately, Greed handed a ragged strip of cloth over to Edward. The alchemist snatched it while he said,"Your pal asked me me to bring this to you."

"Ling did? What does it say? It's in some other language..."

"Yeah, it is. He just wants you to deliver it to some girl."

"Lan Fan? Is this some kind of trick? 'Cause if you follow us and try to kill her..."

Greed scoffed. "I've got more class than that, alright? I don't have interest in fighting girls." He grinned at Edward's expression, which didn't show any sign of relaxing. "And another rule of mine is to never tell a lie, but hey, it's your call."

When he turned to leave, Tom let out a gasp. He must have noticed the Ouroboros... it was hard to miss. "Hey, wait..." he began. "You're a..."

Greed looked over his shoulder at the boy, then he saw me. He stopped mid-step and pivoted. "So you trail around after them, don't you?" he asked me. "Why?"

"Me? I just found them," Tom replied. Greed shook his head.

"I'm talking to the girl, not you."

"What girl?" Tom and the Brothers looked around, puzzled. There were other people in the park, but they were too far off for Greed to be possibly talking to.

"The girl with the sad eyes. You can't see her, but I can." Greed leaned forward and smirked at me. "Tough luck, huh? It must suck to be around and no one can hear or see you."

I felt mortified by his statement, because of how true it was, but I didn't want to admit my helplessness. _I have ways of being heard,_ I responded as cooly as I could. _So not all's lost._

"If you say so." Greed straightened, fixed his trench coat's collar, then went on his way again. "See you guys later."

Temporarily shocked, the boys said nothing until Greed was almost out of their company. Edward came to his senses and helplessly called out; "Wait, Ling!"

"The name's _still _Greed."

"What do you mean?" Alphonse shouted. When Greed didn't turn around this time, and just simply disappeared around the corner, Alphonse turned to his brother. "What did he mean? What girl?"

"I think... he was talking about Urami."

Both Alphonse and Tom started at Edward in astonishment and bewilderment, while I smiled warmly. I still couldn't believe it... I was starting to thank Greed for talking to me like that. Edward turned to me, as it was the air Greed was talking to, and his eyes strained a little, trying to see what was really there. After a moment, he sighed in defeat. "I can't see you yet," he whispered.

_You will, soon._

"What—?" Edward was already walking before Alphonse could finish his sentence. The older brother waved his hands in a following gesture.

"Come on, we have to get to Dr. Knox's. We need to get that little girl there, fast. Then we'll talk about... everything."

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _Jeez, I'm so sorry. This has been sitting in my computer unfinished since I came back. I've just been so lazy, I haven't been able to do anything. And now university's starting on Thursday... .

I hope you liked it. I know it wasn't much, but I didn't want to leave you with nothing. I want to get the next chapter started too, and hopefully I can do that. Review me your thoughts! I really appreciate your words :) I know I sound like a broken record but it's true!

Have a nice day!

~Vixen


	36. Reunion

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 36

They made it to this Dr. Knox Edward mentioned before, who seemed to be a very stubborn man with built-up aggression. When the girl within Alphonse was revealed, Tom freaked out because of two facts. One, that Alphonse was empty, and two, that May (as he called her) was injured. I was touched by the amount of concern on his face, and when the time came for he and the Brothers to leave Dr. Knox to his work, Tom always looked back at the closed door behind which May resided. The worst of the pain had already passed when she came out of Alphonse, and there was no need for me to enter her soul, but I did so just in case. It definitely made the bandaging-business easier for her to endure, and she was soon set to rest. Her past was very much like Ling's, and I discovered that she, too, was a apart of the vast family of the Xingese Empire.

I learned that Lan Fan had been relocated here as well. Alphonse had delivered the scrap of cloth Greed had given him, and the joy that came up on Lan Fan's face... and the way that joy crumbled upon hearing what happened to Ling... I stayed close and took some of her sadness into myself. I was getting better at that, hopefully. She had wondered aloud though, wondered why she didn't feel as deep a sadness as she should, and I felt like a child caught doing something wrong. Alphonse replied with the hope that Ling was going to get his body back, and that Lan Fan knew this deep inside. Yes, that was what it had to be.

Finally, Tom and the Brothers sat down in a room unoccupied by the Xingese patients. It was one large sofa, a low coffee table, and walls of junk surrounding them. This doctor wasn't quite the housekeeper by the look of things, but there may have been a reason as to why that was so. Anyway, the boys fit themselves in that room comfortably enough to start their talk. However, no one knew how to start at first; they sat down, but said nothing in solemnity. It was Edward who first spoke.

"Alright... Tom. Tell us your story."

And so he did. He told us of what happened after our fiasco in Korius, of his pursuits in alchemy, how he lost his ear... Edward was intrigued by this attempt of creating life, a little different from creating a chimaera. Perhaps he never thought of it before. Tom then told them about his journey to Central and how it got sidetracked when he fell into what appeared to be a tunnel. Then—

"Malice?" Edward breathed. He leaned forward and said more forcefully. "You actually _saw _Malice?"

I didn't quite expect to hear of her so soon, and needless to say, my soul quivered a little, like a shudder down someone's back. Tom nodded.

"Yes, and I spoke to her. It was... frightening. She's so different from..." He shook his head.

He said that in the middle of his and Malice's meeting, a homunculus called Pride interrupted, and my soul shook more violently. So a Pride did exist, one that did not look like King Bradley, who took on that name once. He existed as much as another Sloth did. After Pride's entrance, Tom lost consciousness, and when he came to, Malice had carried him to a refugee village of Ishbalans so that he could recover. Malice had called him a possible sacrifice, and the Brothers looked at each other at the mention of it. Tom noticed, but maybe he was waiting to ask his questions at the ending. He then told them that May had helped him recover with her country's alchemy, and now he was here. He didn't talk about his companions, even though it was already apparent he was in the company of Scar. Perhaps it was his effort to keep them secret and protect them. Edward and Alphonse didn't ask him anything further about that.

"I came here looking for you two, so that I can ask you more about human transmutation. Please, tell me everything you know!" Tom looked pleadingly at them. Edward turned his gaze away, his expression strained painfully. "Please. I want to become a better alchemist to help other people. Perfecting it would be the ultimate test, wouldn't it? Please, tell me."

"You know it already," Edward replied. He shook his head. "You can't bring anyone from the dead, and even if you provide the right price for sacrifice, the result isn't the same as the one who's passed. This was the case with Urami, don't you remember?"

Alphonse glanced at his brother, rather surprised that he was okay with talking about me so openly. It used to hurt him, but now I was no longer a memory. To him, I was still around. Tom hesitated.

"That's true. The girl Malice was transmuted from originally... her name was Margaret. When I met Malice, she was very close alike to her, but at the same time she was different, you know? Like two sides of the same coin."

"Urami, not Malice," Edward corrected. "That's who you mean, right?"

Tom looked at Edward with a puzzled expression. Then his quirked brow loosened, relaxing his face into a lost, distant look.

"So there_ is _a difference?" he whispered. "The two of them existed differently?"

"Yes. They still do."

"How do you know this, Brother?" Alphonse asked slowly. "I thought you didn't believe what Ling told you."

"I didn't. But when I was swallowed by Gluttony and made my way back to... that _place,__" _he began. "...I saw her. Urami, I mean. She was the same one we met, Al. The same one I love."

Tom and Alphonse stared at Edward with such bafflement on their faces I had to smile weakly. I knew how hard it would be to believe it, and that was why I was so glad I managed to get to Edward in some way. Much of my thanks went to Ling and all of his efforts. Thinking of him, I really hoped he knew what he was doing...

"I know it sounds crazy, and in ways, it is," Edward continued. "Alchemy mentions absolutely nothing about the spirit. That's something Truth keeps in store for us when we die, and after that, we can't distribute that truth to the living... Urami told me that she's looking for a way to get her body back, the one that Malice is in control over now."

It felt so amazing, to have my problem spoken out in the open like this. It was how I felt when Ling wanted to explain it to Edward the first time. This occasion, there was true comprehension, true acceptance. That kind of feeling made me forget the dismal future, the possibility that I would be locked in this transparent plane of life, where no one could know I was still alive. The boys were very silent as they let the words sink in.

"How can we help her?" Alphonse breathed softly. Edward sighed. "We... don't know anything about this."

"I know... I'm just as stumped as you are. Hopefully I'll see her again and ask."

"How? When?"

Edward shook his head, breathing deeply. He brought his eyes back to Tom. "Tell more about these tunnels you stumbled into," he said, changing the subject. I didn't mind. It was as Edward said; it would just have to wait until the next time we'd speak.

I crossed my fingers that it would be that night.

* * *

It took Edward a long while to fall asleep, perhaps because he was anticipating my arrival. _Dreams_, I heard him think. _She told me she'd come into my dreams._

The reason why I could hear him was, for the first and most awaited time, I could finally touch his soul. There was no wall to separate us. I tried it shortly after the boys finished their discussion. I thought _I_was dreaming, when I passed my fingers through his skin, through the barrier that pushed me out. I embraced his soul, and let the flood of memories rush at me. It was second-nature now. I saw everything from the beginning... I saw the Sloth I knew there —Trisha Elric. I remembered what Edward said before, that a homunculus was just an altered reflection. Maybe this was true, but I wouldn't be able to say I knew both sides of the mirror, so I didn't know if Sloth was like her predecessor. I saw the Brothers' sacrifice and meeting with Truth, and then the events that followed their quest for the return of their bodies. With a flutter in my chest, I saw the time when I crashed into their lives, and onwards. It was surprising how all of that flew by so fast. Seeing myself through Edward's eyes was... pretty intriguing. I never saw myself in such a high light as he did, and I felt really modest. Many emotions latched themselves onto his memories, so many you couldn't distinguish them so easily. I felt happiness, sadness, and love. Warm, comforting love, and helpless, heart-wrenching love.

Edward's soul was so precious. I felt that I had a need to protect it, like a mother and her baby. I didn't want to leave him ever again, even though I knew there'd be a time I would need to.

For now, as I patiently waited for him to fall asleep, I sat down beside him with my hand on his soul. I could hear his thoughts while I kept watch over our surroundings, even though there was no impending danger currently. Alphonse sat against the far wall, with the window, sleepless as usual. I looked over to him sympathetically from time to time, tempted to touch his soul and keep him company in some way... but I knew I couldn't risk it. He and his brother booked another room at the hotel while May and Lan Fan rested. They told Tom he was more than welcome to come, but he told them he wanted to stay by May's side, despite the shortage of beds in the house. Knox put up a very intimidating fit about it, but he eventually —and surprisingly— gave in to the determined look Tom gave him.

Edward's internal voice was only a murmur, which I would never have noticed if I wasn't so enthusiastic about our souls' acquaintance. I never heard Ling's thoughts before, so this was definitely new.

_You're insane,_ a voice said in Edward's head. Maybe that was his rationality. I looked down at him thoughtfully. _How do you know __**she**__ wasn't a dream, too? How was all of that real? You didn't see her, or Al's body..._

_No._ Edward turned on his side. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. _I saw them. One is all, and all is one. There's more than we humans know..._

Soon, sleep finally came to visit, and wrapped him gently in slumber. He looked so peaceful in sleep, which made me happy; he would be a wreck if he had no escape from the hectic events of life around him. He looked so at ease that I, for a brief second, didn't want to disturb him. But the urge was too great, and then I would have no regret for my intrusion.

Like Ling's, Edward's subconsciousness was just black space, dreamless. I believe that, since this wasn't the first time, I would be able to find him faster, but I was mistaken. I kept walking, but it didn't look like I was making any progress. My soul rippled in excitement though, because of the upcoming reunion. What kind of expression would he wear when he saw me? Surprise, that what he hoped for came true? Happiness, the kind that would erase those burdens from his shoulders? Or warm, immortal love? Caught in my imaginings, I started humming to myself. My mood changed the path around me, and without meaning to I made cerulean orchids bloom and wither in my wake.

I stopped humming when I saw the ground below me turn to stone. I felt a strong emotion wash over and everywhere around me, and it took me a moment to recognize it. It was a helpless sorrow, mixed with frustration. I was well accustomed to this feeling... but what was going on? As I kept walking, walls took their place around me, garnished with paintings and pillars. A mansion. The Alchemist's Mansion.

I heard Edward shout, and it made me pause in place, confused. What was going on? I didn't make any of this. But of course... dreams always weaved by themselves. This one was a powerful one, and by the way it was governed by negative emotion, and by the way Edward shouted, it sounded like a nightmare. He shouted again, the words incoherent to me, and I started running, calling his name. The corridors just seemed to keep going, everything looked the same. I couldn't figure out if any of the doors I passed were ones I passed already, if I was only going in circles... Not only did I heard Edward's voice, but there was another. It sounded like mine, but harsher... it couldn't be...

Finally, I managed to distinguish the right way, and I found Edward. And Malice. There was blood, darkness. It was a reenactment, of the time when Malice had isolated Edward and herself from everyone, homunculi and humans alike, to finished the Fullmetal Alchemist off for good. Edward was on the ground, his automail broken to pieces, his face bleeding. Malice was over him, but completely transformed into the Ore. She looked more terrifying... she was going to kill him... but she was speaking lowly to him. Long, low, malicious words, and Edward kept telling her to shut up. I heard him say my name, but she only laughed and continued to slur darkly to him. Edward shouted at her again.

Malice leaned in for the kill... but just like last time, I was the one to stop her. I had no doubt in myself. I was greater than the dream; I would control it. With all my soul, I banished the images before me. Malice, the mansion, _everything_was washed away, so quickly that it looked effortless. All but Edward disappeared. His blood was gone, his cuts were healed, his automail replaced with the limbs he lost, and everything was alright. He shut his eyes closed, so he hadn't seen what had happened yet.

I walked up to him and crouched down before him. I smiled, reached over to him and touched his arm. He flinched and opened his eyes wide to investigate the new terror of his nightmare. But it was only me. Only him and I.

We were together.

"Urami?" His voice was weak, and he reached out to me with his left hand. I leaned my face to it and welcomed his touch.

"I promised I would come here to you," I whispered. "So here I am."

The smile that stole across his features then! You wouldn't believe the level of happiness, so contagious. It brought tears to my eyes. He suddenly pulled me to him, almost making the both of us topple over. I fell into his lap, burying my face in his chest, and he held me tight. It felt like he didn't intend to ever let me go, and I was okay with that. He kept whispering my name, pressing his lips to my hair. Glancing at the dark space around us, I painted the world with colours, so heavily-set that I knew he would remember.

"I knew I wasn't dreaming when I saw you," he breathed. "And you're not just a dream now. You're real. You're..."

I smiled against his chest, and I peered up at him. "Hard to believe, huh? I would never have thought it possible myself. Sounds too 'over-the-clouds' to be true."

As much as neither I nor he wanted to let go, he allowed me to inch away and sit normally in front of him. At least he held my hand tightly, his effort in preventing me from slipping away again. He looked around, at all the flora fields under the last reaches of sunset. After his mind had absorbed its detail, he looked back at me. Speechless, he looked into my eyes. I looked back at him, waiting patiently with a warm smile on my face.

"How... how are you?" he finally said, and then his eyes screwed up and he scolded himself. "Wait, what kind of thing is that to say? I mean...well..."

I laughed softly.

"It's been a long while... and it's really hard to talk about what happened, I think." My brows knitted upward. "Edward... I'm really sorry that things turned out the way they did."

"I'm sorry, too." Edward closed his eyes. "I wish this didn't happen to you."

I squeezed his hand, and he looked at me again. I leaned forward and looked up at him reproachfully. "I had to pay for it. After all the lies, after all the hurt... it's something I had coming to me." I shook my head and let out a choked laugh. "I don't know why you still love me, Edward. Aren't you angry with me?"

"Well... I was," he admitted. "You didn't tell me you were a homunculus."

"I was sent to kill you."

"I know."

I cast my eyes down and leaned back. "And yet you still care. Don't you hate me?"

"How can I ever hate you?" I looked up at him, and his eyes were soft as they considered me. "You didn't even try to kill me at any time. Instead, you tried to push me away, remember? That was your own... well, stupid way of protecting me. You wanted to face the homunculi alone and die, so that you wouldn't have to kill me. That's right, isn't it?" He reached forward and stroked my cheek lightly. "And I would be scared to tell the truth, too... it's okay. It's all so far in the past now, you shouldn't feel so guilty of it."

"Don't tell me that it's okay, because it's not," I sighed. "How can I have treated you like that, and still get your love? I feel like I'm cheating. That's not fair. And why... _willingly _give your love to a homunculus?"

"Urami, I fell in love with you. My heart belongs to you. All other things are secondary." His one hand returned to the one holding mine, and he ran his fingers across my knuckles tenderly. "You are perfect as you are, and I accept you."

His words stunned me.

"I know you're sorry for what you've done. And look at you now... don't tell me that's something you deserve. You're a homunculus, but that doesn't make you any less human, and any less deserving of affection."

After a long moment, I shook my head slowly and couldn't help but chuckle. "You are really amazing, Edward," I told him. I smiled greatly, and I felt tears run down my cheeks. "In a weird twisted way... I'm glad that I was sent after you."

He grinned at me. "Same here."

* * *

Morning dawned, and Edward roused slowly. When he opened his eyes, I knew he was recounting all of his conversation with Urami. He breathed deeply as he observed the ceiling, his eyes shifting here and there as if he could follow the events. He even gingerly touched his lips, where he couldn't sworn he felt Urami's departing kiss like a wonderful imprint. When he was confident enough, he sat up drowsily and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Alphonse perked up when he saw his brother officially get up.

"How did you sleep? You had a nightmare. I was about to wake you, but then you seemed okay."

Edward looked at his brother and smiled. "Urami came by, like she said."

Alphonse gasped. Edward was glad that Alphonse believed that Urami was really still around. He seemed more conscious of what Ling had told them before, when he tried to first explain Urami's situation. He leaned forward eagerly. "So what did she say? How can we help her?"

"For the time being, she doesn't know how either." The excitement in Alphonse's posture faltered. "She says that Malice can't see her, which is different from how it was before. When we find Malice, Urami will try and get into her body and take control."

"So that's our next step, right? Find the tunnels... then find Malice, right?"

"Right."

"What if we get caught?" Alphonse folded his arms. "The military's going to watch us more closely now, and I have a feeling that they wouldn't want us down there..."

"To hell with the military!" Edward threw the covers off of himself and stood up. "And to hell with Father and the other homunculi... we'll just make sure not to create a scene. We're going to 'continue our research'. If we play our cards right..."

Alphonse nodded. "That sounds like a plan."

"Before we go, we need to do a little recon around town. We have to figure out why our alchemy didn't work underground..."

"And then, I think we should wait for Lan Fan and May to heal up. I dunno, I would just feel better if I saw them up on their feet again."

Edward hesitated, then smiled weakly. "Yeah. Yeah, I think Urami would, too."

"If she can only communicate through dreams, then I guess I'm out of luck. I can't sleep." Alphonse sighed. "Next time you see her, tell her hi from me, okay?"

"Well, I'm sure she can hear us."

Alphonse straightened up in realization, and he laughed contently. "That's right! Hi, Urami! I hope you're well!"

They couldn't hear the lighthearted giggle, but it was there.

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _Hm, well then.

Once again I've neglected to write and finish a chapter for this, even though everything's pretty much played out. I am really sorry for that, but I hope to write more. I'll bring my notebook tomorrow and see if I get any dialogue or descriptions out. There's this lovely forest next to the buildings of my classes... oh jeez, I hope it's sunny! It's so nice in there, next to the river! I'm going to take lots of pictures too... -heart-

But I digress. Chances are you're going to wait a long time for the next chapter. SO, **I went out and created a forum for you.**(well technically, I created it a long time ago, but I, er, forgot to advertize it)

**The forum is your opportunity to discuss what you think about the story and characters of **_**I Was Sent to Kill You **_**with your fellow readers. I know it sounds narcissistic of me to create a forum for my own story, but I kinda like the idea of you all talking to one another. I'm not asking you to say how much you like it; I want your input on style of writing, character development, any questions you have, etc. I hope that you do enjoy it in some way X'D You can find it in my main profile.**

With that said, I bid you goodnight -heart- Please tell me if you find any grammatical mistakes and spelling errors!

-Vixen


	37. Journey

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 37

"What? They're gone? What do you mean, they're gone!"

It had been a total of three days since Edward and Alphonse settled down from their meeting with Father. They stayed in Central, visiting the library and researching more into alchemy. On their breaks, Alphonse had continued checking in with May and Lan Fan. They each made their own progress to recovery. Tom stayed by May's side constantly, keeping her company.

By day I followed the brothers and kept watch over them, and by night, I visited Edward in his subconsciousness. With our meetings, I told him everything I knew. There was little more about the homunculi that he didn't know already, and I really knew as much as he did. As for Father, I was able to explain more about who he was... the original Homunculus, the one who cut my strings, and most likely the person behind many of the dark things that happened in Amestris. He was planning something big with those tunnels, we knew that much.

I also told Edward about how it was like to be a spirit. I left out the loneliness bit —as well as my sacrifice to Truth—, and focussed more on the pluses of the transcending plane. I got to know a person just by touching them, I could control my Chi from time to time, I could absorb pain and sorrow to an extent for helping's sake... but possessing animals had to be my favourite ability. I told him about how it felt to soar the skies with your own wings, and to see the world in a four-legged animal's eyes. He watched me with a smile, but in some ways, I found it to be sad. I didn't ask him, but I believed he knew that I was holding something back.

Edward seemed much happier now, back to his old self. He thought more clearly about the things at hand. My memory didn't loom over him like a dark omen, but followed like a lover's blessing. Today was no different, even though he was being temperamental. I wouldn't have had him any other way.

But the reason why he was on-edge unfolded itself before us, as we stood at the hotel's register. Alphonse watched his brother on the phone.

"They left this morning?" Edward demanded. "Why didn't you stop them?—They couldn't have healed so quickly. What about the boy?—Don't call me an idiot for hoping! Thanks a lot, Knox!" Edward took in a deep breath, then sighed through his nose in defeat. "...alright. But seriously, thanks for looking after them."

Alphonse and I watched in concern as Edward hung up the phone. He turned to his brother with his fists stuffed in his pockets. "May and Tom left. No one knows where they are." He looked up at the ceiling with distain. "And just when we thought we could ask the brat about her alchemy."

"What happens now, then?" Alphonse asked. Edward ushered him to start leaving the hotel. He glanced at the hotel receptionist, who was standing close-by to the telephone. Alphonse, getting his warning, spoke more in an undertone once they reached the street outside. "Do we go after May? Or do we go and find Malice?"

Edward looked like he was at a loss at that question. His mouth opened, but shortly closed again. When he finally found the right words, he started slowly: "I want to get Urami to her body as fast as possible... but my gut's acting up against the idea."

It took me a few moments to get what he was trying to say. I had to remind myself that Edward was a very rational person, and —although impulsive— he had to put a lot of thought into the mysteries he wanted to solve, as well as the solutions that would best resolve them. If his gut was telling him that the tunnels were a bad idea, then it was a bad idea for a reason. The reason came soon as their conversation continued.

"You figured out that it's dangerous in the tunnels, too," Alphonse ventured. "Malice is in there; that's enough of a problem. But there's also Pride. And who knows what kind of damage he can cause."

"I know."

"And we don't know if our alchemy will pull through in there. Maybe whatever Father did would stretch all across Amestris, and..."

"We can do alchemy now." Edward looked down at his hands. His fingers closed in and he shut his eyes. "But I'm worried about that, too."

"We have to find May. We aren't prepared for the tunnels yet... if we went and failed, what good would that do Urami?"

Edward nodded sluggishly, as if he was having trouble agreeing. Perhaps he was. He sucked in some air, puffing out his cheeks, then letting it all out in a gust. "You're right. But after we find her, we go straight for Malice. Urami's the priority."

I smiled a small smile. I had no problem with the delay. I didn't want the brothers diving head-first into danger... I would wait as long as it needed. I was in a rush before, but watching over the brothers... I guess you could call me sidetracked. And I didn't think that Malice would be disappearing anywhere...

Alphonse nodded enthusiastically. "Uh huh! Now, how do we find May? She couldn't have gone far..."

"Well... how about we look for something that's not so natural? Like a black-and-white bear-thing?"

* * *

When Tom had stepped out of Knox's house for a breath of fresh air the night before, Yoki snuck up to him and nearly scared him out of his skin. The man's face looked so grim, hidden in the bushes by the gate.

"Three days in luxury!" Yoki moaned. "You ungrateful boy! You left me all by myself out here while you had a roof over your head! This is what I get for helping you? Is this what I deserve?"

Truthfully, Tom forgot all about Yoki, and guilt washed over his face like a wave. He smiled nervously at him, then cast a wary eye about him.

"Sorry..."

"Oh, you're _sorry?_"

"I mean it, really. May's been recovering from some sort of fight, so I completely lost track of everything else." Tom's voice dropped low to avoid being overheard. "Scar's nowhere to be seen, either; May doesn't know where he—"

"Scar's returned." Tom stared in confusion at the older man. Yoki beckoned with his hand. "He sent me out to find you. He came back with another man, a rather old gentleman. You and the girl better come quick."

"Ah... jeez..." Tom reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't know if May's okay enough for that..."

"Just see what you can do. We're still where we last rested, so meet us there."

With that, Yoki jumped out of the bushes and stole away into the darkness, only briefly visible in the lonely streetlight's glare. Tom had looked after him in bewilderment, then returned back inside, wiping his face of any perplexity that may have remained.

Now, May and Tom were traveling north, with an older man called Dr. Marcoh. Tom didn't exactly know who the man was, and at first he felt very suspicious at the meeting. But the man exhibited the same brokenness that someone like himself had felt once, and the boy couldn't help but feel empathy for him. Maybe soon, he would find out what Marcoh had done to have his eyes look the way he did. The damage done to his face was fresh and hard to take in, but May did a very good job in healing it. After Marcoh fled with Scar to throw the military off, he joined Tom and May's company.

"So what is it exactly that we're looking for?" Tom asked as they walked through the forest. They strayed from the built-in path, to avoid any passer-by's. Tom held up a branch up for May and Marcoh to walk through.

"Come on, Tom, we already went through it a hundred times!" May looked up at him with a determined expression, and she wagged her finger reproachfully. "We're looking for Mr. Scar's brothers' research notes!"

"Is his brother dead, then? We're not looking for his brother?"

Marcoh closed his eyes painfully. "Chances are that he is dead. There are only a few survivors of the purge in Ishbal."

"And Scar held onto his research notes? I thought he hated alchemy."

"Maybe it was his last testament to his brother. He may not have been able to throw those away because, in ways, it encompasses his brother."

Tom followed up with the rear of the group, his mouth a thoughtful line. "These notes... what exactly do they describe? Alchemy?"

"Something more," May said. "I'm thinking there's some Alkehestry in there too..."

Suddenly she jumped back with a yelp. The group stopped, frozen. Tom wandered up to the front to see what was wrong, and May immediately grabbed for the edge of his shirt. She hid behind him slightly as if whatever they found wouldn't hurt them if she did so. When Tom found out what it was, he didn't know what to think.

He was hard to see, the boy. The undergrowth had seemed accustomed to him and grew around him and his body. He had collapsed on an arching root of a great tree, his long and untidy black hair covering his face and draping over the bark. He was covered in his own blood, dried, from the lacerations all over his body. Vines were all over his arms and legs, and strangely enough, stems of vegetation had taken root in the cracks in his skin. He had to have been here for a very long time for anything to grow so naturally around him, and yet he hadn't decomposed yet. He didn't look like he was breathing, but...

Tom pried May's fingers from his shirt, and he stepped forward cautiously. May made a small squeak, and Tom looked back at her reassuringly. He turned back to the surreal sight, and looked at every thing he could see. He noted how young he seemed, how frail he was. His right arm and left leg had different skin-tones, ones that didn't match the rest of his ghastly-pale complexion. And on his right foot... Tom took an anxious step forward and leaned down.

"That sign..." Tom muttered. "That's what Malice has! He's a homunculus!"

"The Ouroboros..." Marcoh had joined his side. Tom turned to him in surprise, and Marcoh shared glances with him. "Envy, one of the homunculi, has one too."

"Is he dead?"

Marcoh looked closely, or as closely as he could, standing as far as they were. "I don't know. I've never seen a homunculus run out of lives to live on..."

The boy suddenly took in a breath. The air passed through his throat in a raspy wave, and the leaves of the plants around him trembled. The group stood very still and listened to the homunculus breathing so harshly. His hair shifted, allowing the others to see his eyes. They opened, but only so little. His violet eyes looked lifeless.

"Mommy?" he whispered. His knees bent, which ripped roots from his ankles. Blood cascaded down from these new wounds, but the boy didn't seem to take notice. Perhaps he had been in so much pain that he couldn't feel it anymore. "Mommy... Where... are you...?"

From where the blood dripped down, before their eyes, new plants took root and sprouted. Marcoh took notice of this.

"The Stone... it's speeding up the growth of everything around him."

May pushed her way between the two of them, her eyes wide. "The Stone? He has the Stone?"

"Mommy..."

The sight of the boy hurt Tom. So pathetic and broken, like an animal with no chance to survive, only awaiting death. He took another step toward him, and —ignoring Marcoh's warning— he arrived in front of the boy and crouched down. The plants that grew so quickly looked intriguingly beautiful. Petals flared... crimson, like the blood they relished drinking. Tom reached out and touched the boy's hip. The homunculus inhaled another great breath, and his dull eyes shifted to Tom. They couldn't see him... Tom didn't feel his gaze at all.

"Why are you here?" Tom asked. "What is your name?"

"My name..." The boy's head inclined. More roots tore, more droplets of blood fell. Tom's stomach twisted. "My name... was Wrath... but not... anymore..."

Tom looked back at Marcoh in question. "I don't understand," he said. "Aren't the homunculi supposed to stay together?"

"This one may had done something wrong," Marcoh said, his face solemn. "I don't doubt that the homunculi throw away their own kind."

"And homunculi don't have mothers, do they?" Tom frowned. "That's not how it works..."

"He killed... mommy..." Tom turned back to look at Child Wrath. "He stole my name... and killed mommy... he tried to... kill me too, but..."

"Who?"

"...Fa...ther..."

Marcoh crouched next to Tom and nodded. "Their leader."

"What did he do to you? Why?"

Child Wrath's mouth curled in a bitter smile. His hand tensed, then tore itself from the earth's clutches. Some of the blood sprayed onto Tom, but he didn't take notice of it quite yet. He was too focussed on what the homunculus was doing. The boy raised his scarlet fingers and trailed one across his chest, over his heart. The darkness of his blood soaked into the material of his torn shirt.

"He cut me... from the heart... from the Stone..." His hand dropped to the ground, and the vegetation immediately coiled around it, preventing it from escaping again. It was like magic... "Mom died... more quickly, but... I held on... on little longer... because..."

They waited for an agonizingly long time for him to continue, but it seemed as if he had forgotten what he was talking about. His dull eyes had slowly rolled away, first in one direction, then up through the leaves of the canopy. Tom touched him again to call his attention back.

"Why did Father do this to you and your mother?"

Child Wrath laughed, weak and choking. "Because... we were... human..." He shook his head, and tears trailed down his cheeks, mixing with his blood. "Malice was... right. Her human side... was... real. I... know what... love feels like now... the more I thought about it... the easier it was... f-for me to accept it..."

Human side. That had to mean Urami... that proved it, it had to! "Because you believed in your human side, it grew stronger?" Tom asked desperately. "Then Malice... Her human side will take over! Urami has a chance!"

For the first time, Tom could feel the homunculus' gaze. The boy smiled, his pointed teeth stained with his own vitality. "Are you... trying to save Malice?" His voice hardly carried over the soft wind. "She has... a lot of people who... care about her..."

"Malice and Urami are two different beings," Tom said. His eyes hardened and he looked at the ground. "I don't care about what happens to Malice."

"Two... different...? Well, maybe... something happened when... I left... Father must have done... something to her..." Child Wrath blinked slowly, and his own eyes dropped from Tom. "Whatever... it doesn't matter... she'll die the... same way..."

Even though Tom said what he did, he found the thought unsettling. Then he thought of why that was; if anything happened to Malice, then the same would happen to Urami. They both needed that body. If Father decided to severe the Stone from their souls, then all was lost, and they'd end up like Child Wrath. He convinced himself that he didn't feel concerned for Malice, even though it was an unstable conclusion...

Child Wrath coughed. "Yeah... we'll all die the same... and go to the same place..." His smile was a gentle thing. "I'll get to see Mom again..."

His eyes closed, and his chest swelled for one last breath. When his ribs receded, and when he was still at last, his body crumbled before their eyes, like ash. May reached forward in hopelessness, a sound of despair in her throat. The Philosopher's Stone was so close... Child Wrath's body diminished into nothing but dark soil, now fertile for the earth's wonders. Roses bloomed, thorns curling like serpents until everything was still again. In the end, they were looking at the great tree once more, with a wall of moss and ivy climbing its trunk and a carpet of roses at its base.

Tom slowly got to his feet, looking down at the grave mark of the homunculus. Marcoh heaved himself as well. May was the only one who dropped down to her knees, with tears in her eyes. With her empathetic nature, she may have felt sorry for the boy. But the real sorrow was the loss of the Stone. Her journey would have been over, and her clan would have been saved. Tom looked away from the tree and up through the leaves. The sun was beginning its descent.

"You seemed to know what that homunculus was talking about," Marcoh said, bringing back Tom's attention. The older man's head tilted. "So there is a different side to these monsters... isn't there?"

Tom nodded slowly. "I can't explain it to sound believable, but yes... there's more to this."

May's sniffling ceased and she got back to her feet. "I don't want to stay any longer," she said softly. "Can we continue on?"

She didn't wait for a response. She walked past the both of them and into the trees. Xao May nuzzled the girl's cheek affectionately. Tom and Marcoh exchanged looks and nodded. The older man didn't ask any questions about who Malice was, and Tom preferred that. They had to find out more about alchemy and alkehestry, and what Father intended for this country. Child Wrath was a distraction in that cause.

But he was very essential for another, especially to Tom. If Malice believed, or even remembered Urami... then the human side would have a chance. She would be able to get her body back.

* * *

"_They say the weather in the mountains is highly variable,_" Edward said through chattering teeth, _"but I didn't think it'd change this quickly._"

Beats me how their search for May lead them up to the frozen north. It was something Armstrong suggested... The military had an inkling that Scar was traveling north, and since May was in his company, I guess the idea sort of clicked.

I had never seen snow before, so when I did, I found the sight to be really beautiful. A desolate kind, lonely, but not in a bad way. Everything was so still, undisturbed, untouched, pretty much _pure_. I wished I was in physical form to actually touch it, to breathe in the air of this atmosphere... but from what I could get from Edward's reaction —an amusing show—, the cold was intolerable. I suppose, for this moment, I should have been grateful to be absent of a body. But I wasn't... as anyone, I wanted my body for my own. I'd rather feel the coldest of cold than nothing at all. I bet Alphonse felt the same.

Now, they were making their way up the path to their destination, Briggs —or what they thought was the path. The snowstorm kicked in so quickly that it left us totally disoriented.

"What do we do, Brother?" Alphonse asked. "We completely lost sight of the road!"

"Relax. Our teacher said she got tossed out here at Briggs Mountain for a whole month during her training period, and she made it out alive."

"No way! There's no way she could have survived this for a whole month!"

"But she said she killed some bears!"

I tried to imagine that mind picture... and frankly, I had no trouble seeing Izumi give a smack-down to a grizzly.

"When the bears of Briggs rear up, they're taller than two meters... there's no way she could have killed them...!"

"I don't doubt it... you know our teacher!" Edward laughed. He and I had the same idea. "Her idea of training must have taken root with her own experience."

"Yeah. But I have a feeling we got off easy... the island didn't have any bears."

"But it _did_have a crazy tribal man. Mason really had fun, didn't he..." Edward stopped and squinted his eyes, peering ahead. He then pointed. "Do you see that?"

I followed his eyes. At first, I couldn't. "Where?" Alphonse inquired.

"It's hard to see, but... I think it's an animal."

After a few moments, I caught sight of the movement that caught Edward's. Yes, it was an animal, its fur so blindingly white that you could only see its black nose and coal-like eyes. I made my way over to it, ahead of the boys, and observed it. From what I could see of it, it was a type of fox; a curious thing, with adorably-round ears. But the reason why I could only see some of it was because it was practically drowning in the snow. It was too deep for it to trek through. When it had freed itself, it only needed to take another step to sink back deeper. It yelped out in helplessness.

The boys caught up, and Alphonse was the one to realize what it was and run toward it. He held no hesitation as he approached it and dived his hands into the bank. He scooped the animal out as delicately as he could and took several steps back. It was definitely a fox, white as snow with a tint of beige in its fur. When Alphonse was stationary, the creature immediately squirmed, unleashing an irritated bark. Alphonse allowed it to jump out of his grip, and the fox trotted away, most likely startled. The brothers watched it go. As I mentioned before, I was a little envious to feel this cold environment, and I was also curious on how it felt to be a fox... so I pursued it and reached out to it.

When I touched her, I considered her life. She was relatively young, with no kits waiting for her in a burrow somewhere. So far, her life was just a journey of finding food and survival. I decided to take control, and in exchange for my rude intrusion I would find her food. Her consciousness merged into mine, and all vivid colour escaped my vision —not that there was much colour to begin with. When I entered her being, the snow fox trotted to a stop, and I simply stood there, inviting the physical being, and with it, the cold. The cold; a sign that I held some vitality in this world.

We turned our head and saw the brothers watching us closely. We made a semi-circle to face them again, our ears twitching and containing heat. Without much thought, we returned back to them, feeling their amazed gazes on us. We joined their company and looked up at their faces, wishing we could smile a little... but that may have looked strange anyway.

Alphonse bent down and held out his hand, and we leaned our head into it, our tongue lapping over our nose briefly. We knew not to lick metal in this cold, even though we never experienced the dire and comical result. Alphonse picked us up and we looked at Edward, who was watching in awe.

"It has a different look to it," he murmured. "The eyes..."

"They look more intelligent, don't they?" Alphonse giggled, running his fingers through our bountiful fur. "There was a cat who had the same eyes. I called her Urami."

"They're also sad... like Urami's." Edward outstretched his hand toward us and passed his own fingers over our cheek. "She told me she could live in an animal for a while. Isn't that right?"

Despite our lack of ability to read or write, we could respond. We barked, and although Edward's hand twitched back in reflex, he smiled greatly.

"She wanted to join our company. Don't know why, seeing as this snow is really annoying me now..."

"It could be a new experience for her," Alphonse guessed. He bent down and set us back on the ground. We ruffled our fur and looked around, trying to distinguish earth from sky.

There was something off.

"Look at her... I mean, I understand how she feels. Being without a body, you just have to reach out, and..."

"Yeah, I think I understand, too..."

We inhaled some of the cold air and found it very refreshing. However, we picked up some other scents, some that seemed almost buried by the piercing aroma of snow and frozen pine. Our ears twitched when we heard snow suddenly disperse, and we turned my head immediately. From the midst of a snow bank nearby, a gigantic figure come up and towered over the brothers. We barked in warning, and the brothers turned. They did so in time as well... the bear-like man swung his limb, which revealed itself to be a large form of automail. It looked like a crocodile's maw attached to his metallic elbow.

The man was, by far, the most intimidating person we've ever seen. Around the same size as Armstrong, but there was something almost beastly about this one. We could see the uniform under his winter garb —which also bore the military insignia—, so we knew without question that he was a soldier of Briggs. He continued his offense on Edward and Alphonse, and we were forced to watch from the side.

The fox I possessed was a timid creature, not at all confrontational, so I couldn't will her to move. She wasn't startled enough to attack without thinking. And even if I was, what good would that do against this bear of a man? Broad and sculpted, a black mohawk that fathered a long and thick braid, and two solitary wisps from his upper lip.

The fury of the storm calmed when the fight did, and all of us beheld a massive wall before us. Other soldiers appeared from their hiding places and aimed their guns at the brothers. One of them had aimed at the fox, to him a mindless animal and possible game. I knew then that I couldn't put the fox's life in jeopardy, so we fled, our nerves jolting when we heard the gunshots. The brothers cried out, but we were gone, safe.

But were the brothers?

They reached Briggs, their destination. Was that a good thing? We weren't sure. The soldiers there didn't look friendly. We watched as the brothers were escorted in, and it took all of our willpower not to come out and follow them in. Yet again however, that would do them very little good.

I wanted to leave the fox's body, but...

What to do...

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _Why hello there.

This has been sitting in my comp, NEARLY finished... but yet again I've been forced to neglect it, because of work, school, and damn laziness.

For Christmas, I'll try to get some more chapters to you! I hope you enjoy this gift of mine, it's the most I can do. I've uploaded this one to get the message out there. I hope to get two chapters for you this holiday, maybe more! The next one's started and is on its way!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll be more than happy to hear your thoughts and feelings about it. Reviews = bliss. :) Help me catch any grammar mistakes and spelling errors!

Have a good day! -heart-

~Vixen


	38. Disruption

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots._

* * *

Chapter 38

Night started to fall, and I thought it was a more appropriate time to infiltrate the fortress. Or wait... no, as if a_ fox_ could accomplish something like that. That would be way too extreme.

I didn't want to endanger the fox's life, but I was getting really anxious about the brothers. I tried hunting for the fox, but I found that it was more difficult than most people would think. We could smell rabbits, but their burrows were too deep for us to get to, and when we got there, they would be long gone... the fox's hunger gnawed at our stomach... we felt every moment of it. I had to fulfill my promise somehow. Our eyes turned to Briggs, thinking that if we possibly entered it, we could gain access to their rations... then we'd see if the brothers were okay as well. Two birds with one stone, if I do say so myself. Even though the fox felt no such feelings, her heart hurt with concern and worry each time it beat, because of me.

We trotted across the snow toward the large fortification, hopefully unseen in the upcoming dusk. The previous skirmish between the bear-man and the brothers remained, although snow had laid down a new blanket over. Our paws disturbed it once more, but no doubt more snow was on the way to cover it again in the night. Our nose touched the ground, finding the brothers' scents and leading us to the entrance at ground level. But of course... it would be locked tight, with no way for us to open it. There had to be a way in somewhere...

We heard a distant clap, and then sparks ran down the wall of Briggs, attracting our attention immediately. Admittedly, we had flinched away in alarm, but not of my own accord. I knew what it was, and it took me a moment to reassure the fox that it was nothing dangerous. We looked up and tried our best to see the figure at the railings. A very bulky figure stood at the corner, but we could tell from his contours that it was the armoured form of Alphonse. He had spotted us at just the right time, and he used alchemy to get our attention.

He lifted up a hand and waved down to us. We scampered around in a circle to show him our relief and excitement in seeing him, which we hoped he understood. We went up to the wall and climbed onto our hind legs, a futile attempt to bring ourselves closer. How many metres were there between us? I couldn't fathom the number.

He looked around, seemingly on patrol, then turned back to the edge of the railing. He clapped his hands together again and pressed them to the wall next to him. Blue electricity travelled down to us again, and I willed the fox to back away. After a moment, a flat hand came out of the wall where we previously stood. The transmutation died, but I knew it would only finish if we stepped up onto it. The fox was very persistent, continuously wary of this strange kind of black magic, but eventually she gave in to me and allowed us to get onto the hand. We waited, and soon the transmutation started up again. The ascent was unsettling, making us bring our belly close to the surface of the palm. Eventually however, we arrived at Alphonse's side. He was alone on the railing, which was lined with deadly pillars of ice above.

"Hi, Urami," Alphonse chirped. He opened his arms wide in welcome. "Sorry... you were down there all by yourself..."

We were trying our best to decide how to get off the hand, but there was a gap between that and the railing. Our legs trembled slightly from the aspect of tripping up and falling to our doom... Alphonse seemed to see this and reached over, hooking his hands under the pits of our front legs. He set us down with him, then dismissed the transmutation. It submerged itself back into the wall of Briggs, as if he never touched the material in the first place. He held a finger to the lips of his helmet.

"Edward's talking with Falman inside. He told me to come out and see if I could spot you, and luckily I did!" I had to take a moment to remember if I ever met a Falman before. I wasn't sure... one of Mustang's subordinates, maybe. Well, if Edward was just conversing, it meant that things were going fine. They weren't prisoners... In my pondering, Alphonse knelt down and started unlatching his armour plate.

"I don't know what they'll do to you if they found out you're in the fort... can you hide in here for a while?"

He removed the plate and set it aside. We looked inside his empty self and tried to approach it, but the fox grew restless. Such a tight, enclosed space... I convinced her that it would be cozy, and we would just have to see it like a burrow. Yes, a burrow sounded nice, compared to the constant cold we had to endure that day. We spotted the blood seal above, and once assured that we wouldn't be able to scratch it by accident, we hopped in. We twisted around and lay down on our belly, curling up our legs and tail. Alphonse's hand sought us out and we leaned our head into it. We let him fondle our ears gently.

"You must be very hungry, too. We'll find you some food somewhere, don't worry!"

Alphonse picked up his chest plate and very slowly put it on. We were shrouded in darkness, but there were openings in the edges of his armour that leaked in some light. We waited patiently as he completed his attachments, licking our paws clean of snow.

When we looked up, we caught a glimpse of something... something on the inside of his armour. Etchings. I knew they were words, but we couldn't read them. The dim light didn't help either. We wanted to scratch at Alphonse to get his attention, but he was already moving. We could hear human voices, some alien, some familiar. We heard Edward, and we were so engrossed with hearing him again that we forgot about the etched letters.

Yes, those would have to wait until later.

* * *

By the time Edward and Alphonse were in their own company, the fox had fallen asleep, despite hunger pains. I stayed within her body for a while to calm her, to stop her from acting out in fear. When Alphonse opened himself up, our head tilted sleepily, easing away from the light. Edward's hand reached inside and touched our fur lovingly.

"She must be exhausted..."

"And hungry. Her stomach was growling for me! Did you hear that?"

"Yeah." Edward's laughter was really soft. "She'll act as your stomach for a little while. She'll eat your meals and no one will suspect a thing."

The mention of food roused our consciousness more clearly. We lifted our head and stretched, yawning. Edward's face in the warm light made us very relaxed in awakening. We could also smell the food from where we were; they had received some dinner as it seemed. Our nose started twitching instinctively and we snuffled Edward's clothes where we could reach him, displaying our hunger more acutely. He laughed in response and picked us up with a heave.

"Alright... man, I'm beat. Miles had us working all day..."

"Well, that was the Major General's order, and I don't want to see what happens when you disobey an order..."

Edward gave a huff and set us down in a chair at the table. There were cold-cut sausages, bread, and two bowls of soup. Edward reached over to the sausages and began cutting them into small slices for us to consume. He offered us one and the fox leapt at the opportunity too eagerly. Luckily I managed to pull back a little, to stop us from snapping at Edward's fingers. He smiled at the vigor.

"Aw jeez, the Ice Queen, as they call her." He leaned forward toward us. "Urami, I guarantee she'll be the toughest woman you'll ever meet... even colder than Teacher."

Colder than Izumi Curtis? We gave him a look, and he seemed to understand it by the looks of his grin. "It's true! Alphonse will back me up on this... right, Alphonse...?"

The both of us turned to the younger brother when he didn't respond. He was still standing where he was previously, looking down at his chest plate. The inside of it. Edward called his name again, but Alphonse's reply was very delayed. He looked at his brother.

"Come look at this, Brother."

Edward paused for a moment before coming over. I remembered and knew what it was they were looking at, so I let the fox and I indulge in the food before us. Our tongue lapped the cooling soup up. I wasn't sure if this prepared meal was best for foxes, but sometimes anything would do. It was definitely tasty.

" 'Human hearts... never stop... beating'?"

We stopped eating. The brothers were looking at each other in confusion. I decided to postpone the meal —with a deep apology to the creature I possessed— and we jumped off the chair. We joined the brothers, shoving our snout in Edward's hand. He looked down at us, a look of puzzlement taking hold of his face.

"You didn't write this, did you?" he inquired. "You couldn't have..."

"It..." Alphonse shook his head. "It couldn't have been her, could it?"

"Of course not. If it were, we would see all of her claw marks. And you and I would've heard something—"

"I know it wasn't her. I was talking about..."

Edward and I waited for Alphonse to continue. It took him a long moment before he straightened up again.

"...Malice. It was her."

"What? Malice?" Edward's jaw dropped slightly. "When did this happen?"

"When she was with Greed, in Dublith. When they captured me... she opened my armour at some point to let Martel out..."

"But I don't understand. Why would she write that?"

"I remember..." Alphonse looked to the side thoughtfully. "I asked her if Urami was still around or not, if she was trapped in her... and she told me she already answered my question. I didn't know what she meant by it... but I think I do now. This message was her answer."

"But... that doesn't make sense," Edward looked down at the fox, into our eyes. We returned his gaze with a bewildered one of our own. "I mean, _why? _Denying Urami was something Malice always wanted to do. She stole Urami's body and wanted to eliminate her chance of ever getting it back! But this message... 'human hearts never stop beating'... what more can this mean?"

Before either of them could try to answer that, an alarm sounded in the fortress. The sound startled the fox and I, and we backed away from the door. Edward rushed into the hallway while Alphonse hastily put his chest plate back on. The eldest brother looked from side to side, then backed away a little as soldiers started running by. Alphonse stepped up to block me from their sight.

"What's going on?" Edward shouted to one of the passer-by's. Someone stopped at his inquiry and shouted back.

"There's an intruder down below. We think it's a Drachman invasion!"

The man was gone as fast as he had stopped. Edward looked back at Alphonse.

"We have to go and see if we can help. A little alchemy is always a plus to the defense!"

"What about Urami?" Alphonse turned around and looked down at us. Edward followed suit. "We can't take her with us. It'll be too dangerous for her."

Edward approached us and knelt down, looking into our eyes while setting a hand on our cheek. "Please stay here, Urami," he said. I didn't like the prospect of it, but I knew the fox would like to stay out of danger, too. "If you hear anyone coming, just try to hide the best you can, okay? We'll come back, I promise."

We leaned in and licked his hand. _Stay safe, _I wanted to tell him, but I guessed he already knew I would say that. He smiled gently, and with a look to Alphonse, the two of them left, shutting the door behind them.

For a long moment after, we just stared at the door, hearing the siren wailing through the fort. The fox wanted to return back to her meal, which I could only smile mentally at. I let her take control, because I knew that my anxiety would prevent her from enjoying her meal. I stayed by the door to stay close to her, in case someone _did _decide to enter. A part of me wished I went to follow the brothers, but the one thing about love was that you had to trust they would return. It was hard, and I've disregarded it on multiple occasions...

But Edward promised. and I trusted him. That hasn't changed.

* * *

Malice was accustomed to the silence in the tunnels, but something seemed out of place.

Truthfully, for something to be considered silent, there had to be an absence of sound. However, the type of quiet ambiance that Malice came to know in her time underground was Sloth's constant digging. Even if she went far into the other side of Amestris, in the back of her head... the crushing and tossing of rock always kept her company when Pride's hissing shadows did not. This was something that Malice linked with silence. When nothing at all happens, no loud noises or quick movements, just... digging. Digging. Digging.

Where was the digging? It had been some time since the digging stopped. Malice thought that maybe, finally, she was far enough to forget that stupid, annoying sound at last. But then she realized that she wasn't that far off from where Sloth was, and that she would've heard at least some sign of his movement. For whatever reason, he just stopped. Did he finally decide to take a nap, like his sin suggested? Or had he actually _finished _the circle? She sort of liked that last idea. Ever since she had to return into the earth after ditching that Korius brat, she hadn't seen the light of day.

She shivered, not at all relishing the fact she was back in the colder region of Amestris. She called out to Pride, but he didn't seem to be in the area at the moment. Malice's lip curled when her voice simply returned back to her. Who needed that slithery shadow anyway? She would have to go check on Sloth herself.

She followed the tunnel that would lead her to Sloth's progress. Nowadays, she always made sure to keep to one side of the tunnel rather than in the center, because of a certain experience... luckily no one was around to see that. She didn't know why, but as she was walking a tunnel one time, she had a lapse where all of her surroundings suddenly changed. The tunnel was still there... but there was water. Dark, murky water ran through the middle where Malice walked. Her legs were submerged... she could've sworn it was real. She was in a sewer of some kind. And that wasn't the freaky part... she had glimpsed a body up ahead, a shape that was very hard to discern in that brief moment. After returning back to her senses, the image became clearer. A body, pierced by several rapiers, or swords. For some very odd reason, it made her Stone act very aggressively. Angry. Desperate. Whatever it was she saw, she didn't want to see it again. She thought a maimed body like that would please her, but no. That's why she kept close to the wall, in case she flipped out again. Touching the rough, crude wall would remind her of where she was... maybe.

Malice could see Sloth's progress as she moved. Pride usually cleaned after him, so that the tunnels had nothing hindering them when the transmutation of Amestris was activated. It seemed he pulled back into Central for a little bit, most likely on his way back. This investigation would really have to fall onto Malice's shoulders. She walked around any large boulders that got into her way, swinging her lantern from side to side. Her footsteps echoed down the way eerily, the only sound.

But not for long.

She heard voices up ahead, many of them. She immediately reached for the lantern's key and turned, letting the flame die. However, it didn't banish the darkness. There was a light somewhere ahead, around the corner, giving her a weak ability of sight. Perplexity ate at her, and she moved away from the wall. After a few more moments of listening to those incoherent words, she whipped the lantern ahead of her to call whoever was down here with her. It crashed against the wall, bounced off and continued its noisy trip down the tunnel. Its destruction filled up the whole dark space, and the voices responded more loudly, startled. The sounds of horses accompanied them, confusing the homunculus even more. In the absence of Sloth, horses and their men appeared? Underground?

The light quickly approached, but Malice stood her ground to meet what came with it. When the first human came around the corner, she crossed her arms. The light of their electrical torches made her eyes contract painfully, and she narrowed them to accommodate. They were soldiers, armed with handheld guns at their sides, dressed in warm garments. Their breath swarmed in front of them as they let out gasps, and their horses' spittle could be seen as they snorted. They didn't like her, and their front hooves clashed down on the stone floor.

"What the hell?" the first solder exclaimed, pulling the reigns of his beast. "A girl? What are you doing down in these tunnels?"

"Don't let her fool you!" one of his colleagues warned. "Drachmans will send anyone to be their eyes, and the less suspected the person, the more fit for the job!"

Many of them drew their guns when they heard those words, and they aimed their barrels at Malice. She still stared at them through narrow eyes, but she unfolded her arms. When she let them fall to her sides, the soldiers tensed.

"Raise your hands over your head!" the first one yelled again. "Raise your hands and you won't get hurt. We promise you!"

"Be more concerned about your own lives," Malice returned. The Ore quickly crept across her flesh, sharpening her fingers into daggers. The horses shrilled in terror. "I only promise the exact opposite."

These men were trained well. When Malice leapt forward, one of the soldiers shot her immediately. However, by the time the bullet reached her, her Ore was morphed over her entire body. The shell ricocheted off her shoulder, the same shoulder she flexed for her attack. Her swipe cut through the first of the horse's muscles easily, making it squeal in agony. Malice had no lips to show her smile of contempt. The equine's legs buckled from beneath it and sent its rider flying off its back. The other men and horses alike started to show their fear, and the humans started to shoot in desperation.

Malice played with them until she heard more shouts somewhere, further ahead. The commotion she was causing here, along with the soldier's screams, was attracting more. She let the human in her hands slip from her fingers and she ran ahead, dismissing the Ore from her face. She could use her innocent guise for a second time. She saw the humans up ahead, and what seemed to be a gaping hole up above. Had Sloth _once again _grazed the world above? Now he'd done it. He was nowhere in sight, and now these beings were flooding down into the tunnels like pests, insects. And where was Pride when he was _actually_ needed? Malice would rather have them all die quickly... none of them seemed to be candidates of being her sadistic toys at the moment. Once she got to the bottom of things, she would probably carry one of them off to entertain her.

The few humans who touched ground turned to her immediately, hearing the sound of her footbeats. They shouted words of exclamation and interrogation, but Malice ignored them all. She jumped through them, raking her claws across their chests if they got in her way. When she reached the hole, she jumped out of it with full might, landing in what looked like a gigantic boiler room... More humans flocked the place, and once they saw her, they started scrambling for their weapons. These ones seemed less stupid to be fooled by the face of a young girl. Malice let the Ore overtake her features again and looked around rapidly, searching for a large hunk of flesh, but no... Sloth was not here. Where could he be, if the tunnels were incomplete? He had to be deeper in this... _building, _whatever or wherever it was. Malice sought out a door to escape through, and she made her way to it. The soldiers unleashed their attacks, but the homunculus paid them no heed, their artillery having no effect.

She burst through the doors with intensive force, even if they were sealed shut or hingeless. She called out to the metal around her to do her bidding, to open, to topple, to twist and turn. The chaos she created in her wake caused much distraction and disorder. Her main objective was to get to a higher level, to see exactly where it was she wreaked havoc in... and who knew, she may even spot the larger, apathetic homunculus somewhere.

She tore open what she recognized to be an elevator shoot. The elevator was somewhere above, not at all in use yet. Malice entered the darker space and started her way up, using the still cables to climb. Soldiers behind her had followed, pushing the barrels of their guns through the crevice she created and shooting mercilessly. The bullets flared up when they glanced off her Ore, but they hardly phased her in her progress.

One of the soldiers below must have had a brilliant idea, because the cables suddenly jerked and started to churn. The fool was summoning the elevator down in a means to drive her back down and possibly crush her. No, she wouldn't have that. Her progression was harder now, like taking one step forward and two steps back. She kept climbing, faster, until she could see the bottom of the elevator approaching fast. She jumped off, grappled onto the wall, then with all her power, constricted her mind around the elevator. It kept with its descent, but she could hear its metal whispering, eager to follow her every whim. She smirked, and with a closing of her fist, she crushed the elevator like a tin can. Electricity flared in a chaotic storm, and the elevator stopped. The possibility of anyone being inside was secondary, useless... What was more important and helpful was the fact that her crushing gave her enough space to continue her ascent. She squeezed past the wreck and continued her way up. All the while, the soldiers below kept shooting even when she was out of sight.

When she reached a suitable level, she tore the elevator's doors slightly. She stopped when she heard soldiers running by, leaving the twin-doors with only a small gap. The humans paid no attention to that.

"What's going on?"

"They say there's another monster like... like that thing outside!"

"What?"

"But here's the weird part; it's just a little girl. A teenage girl's running around Briggs, and unlike the other monster, she's actually intent to kill!"

Malice brought her eye to the crack, chuckling softly, echoing. The amount of distress she was causing was quite amusing to her. She was about to make the doors burst open for a deadly surprise when she caught wind of something else as the men kept running.

"Should we go get the Fullmetal kid...?"

"I think the others are on their way to notify him and his brother right now..."

"Do you think he can help...?"

"Well, he helped take down the big guy!... I think this won't be too much different. Man... what ARE these people...?"

"If you could call them people..."

Even though they left, Malice found that she couldn't move for a few moments. She was thinking very deeply, absorbing what it was she just heard. Then her eyes crinkled spitfully. After a few moments, she ripped the doors open with a new, powerful vigor, and she landed on the floor, laughing hysterically.

Edward and Alphonse were in the building. What luck! She could kill them, but how could she resist the amount of torment she's yearned for? Unlike the soldiers, the Elric Brothers were the ones she sought to torture. The temptation was just too strong.

How could she resist? Really?

_End of Chapter_

* * *

_A/N: _This one came by much faster than the last chapter. Hopefully the next one will be the same :)

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas! And if you don't celebrate that, Happy Holidays! Please accept this chapter as a gift from me ;D

As for me, reviews will make a very lovely Christmas/Holiday gift! I hope you all can find it in your hearts to send me your thoughts and feelings~

~Vixen


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